The Legend of Zelda: The Scepter of Darkness
by Jaidyn Reiman
Summary: 5 years after arriving in Termina, Link returns to Hyrule and finds that 20 years have passed. He learns of a new evil, accidentally released by Saria, and they set out with new friends to bring back the light. R&R. Salink. Final chapter online. Now with cover logo!
1. Prologue

**Author's Note(s)**: Told ya' I had something cooked up. This fic has actually been in the works for a little while, but I delayed it until I finished Dreams of an Absent Mind. With that out of the way, I present to you... my first full-length Zelda Fanfiction! Prologues a little long, but I think it's pretty good. And yes, both Link and Saria are main characters, though Saria is only a little on-and-off until later.

For those looking forward to a new Sonic Fanfiction, I've already outlined quite a bit of my next plan. Don't worry, that's coming next. Legacy of the Lost is looking to be a pretty interesting deal, this one featuring Blaze in the starring role. Heh, I like to vary the characters I use. This time, of course, it is Blaze that you see. I've done Chaotix, Maria, Omega (Amidst the Flames), obviously Shadow, and now Blaze. Silver is a likely candidate in the near future. You also may even see a SonAmy story.

Anyway, enjoy the fic!

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: The Scepter of Darkness**

_**Prologue**_

The sun faded on the horizon as the night sky began to near. What was left of the light had faded. Shadows lurched in the trees, threatening to take hold. A lone rider strode briskly through the darkness, wishing only to escape this cursed place as quickly as possible.

The description of the rider was difficult to make out. However, upon seeing the person's face, one could quickly tell that it was a female. Her dark green cloak covered her body and a hood kept all eyes from seeing her complexion. She rode upon a young, white mare; beautiful, and strong.

These definitely were not like the forests where she had lived. The ground was cold and damp; like that of a swamp. Evil lurked in the depths of the forest, wishing to consume her. She felt a chill in her heart… She felt that eyes were watching her all around. Oh, how she wished to go back… back to the woods of Hyrule, back to that sacred forest, back to the temple that lay in the depths of the woods… no more.

She had made her decision… She chose to leave the forest, and now, she would pay the price. Death was her reward. Those who leave the forest shall surely die. She could feel it. No longer a little child she was, her body had begun to grow. It had been four years since she left… never again. Never again will she walk in the woods, never again will she dance in the forest, never again will she see her friends… but so long as she found him, nothing else mattered.

Leaves rustled beyond the trees. The girl immediately pulled on the reins and the horse came to a complete halt. She lowered her head and whispered into its ear. "Easy, girl, easy…" she whispered.

She glanced around, trying to spot anything. When she stopped, so did the movement. Taking quick action, she slid off the horse and pulled out a wooden bow, make of deku wood. It was identical to the bow that had been sealed inside the temple, but he had managed to get one just like it. It was upon finding this lying in the woods was when she first decided to leave Hyrule. First, she had left to Lon Lon Ranch to borrow a horse, and then, she had begun her search…

Slipping an arrow through a tiny loop in the wooden arch, she held it straight and pulled back on the string. Her left hand gripped the wood just beneath the circular opening where the arrow slid through, keeping it steady. Meanwhile, her right hand gripped onto the back of the arrow, feeling the feathers tickle her palm. She backed away slightly, looking this way and that, but she saw nothing. Suddenly, she quickly spun in a complete circle, looking here, too, but still, there was nothing.

She stood there for a few moments, holding her position. However, nothing came. The noises had died away. She lowered her weapon. Perhaps it was only the wind…?

The girl turned around, but then almost immediately, a cry echoed out from behind. She spun back and saw a black wolfos charging toward her. Her horse was getting a little anxious. It began to back away, afraid. Wasting no time, she quickly raised the bow and fired, but then grabbed out another arrow and slid it through.

Having had no time to properly aim, she failed to kill it, but the arrow still struck its leg. It reared itself up onto its hind legs, getting ready for the kill. She waited... and waited… and waited… Finally, it got ready to pounce. Removing the arrow from the bowstring, she instead turned and stuck the weapon straight up into the creature's belly. It cried out and collapsed to the ground.

She gave off a sigh of relief. She hadn't really experienced many encounters like this before. Luckily she had practiced a little archery a couple years ago, but she still wasn't very good. At least this was better than her last encounter, but what if she ever encountered a greater fiend…?

…she didn't want to think about that…

"Well, I suppose it's about time I got out of here. There obviously isn't anything here," she told herself. She turned to find her horse. "Silhouette, let's—Silhouette?!"

The horse was missing. Had it run away? She turned left, scouring the woods, but couldn't see anything. The opposite direction had similar results. There wasn't anything behind her, either. The horse was gone… and she was all alone in this evil place.

She gritted her teeth. "I have to get out of here!" she stated.

Dark powers were at work here. She knew that from the very beginning. However, she still had insisting on coming, hoping to find something that might help her. It was obvious now, though, that this would not be the case. She quickly turned to leave, but then, she heard something.

"…Sa-riiii-a…" a faint voice muttered out.

Saria turned her head back, but saw nothing. "Who's there?" she demanded.

"…Sa-riiii-a…" it called out again, but this time to her right.

Was it circling her? Or were the spirits of the woods calling out her name? Or was it both? Saria didn't know, but she didn't want to find out, either. "Who are you? Where are you? What are you? How do you know my name?!"

The voices continued, more forcefully, piercing her mind. She turned in every direction, trying to determine where they were coming from, but it sounded like it was coming from everywhere at once. She closed her eyes and covered her ears, trying to block it out, but that didn't stop it; it didn't even quiet down just a little. Instead, it grew ever more, torturing her. She couldn't think straight.

She ran. She ran fast and far. She couldn't tell how long she ran; how far she had went. She kept her eyes sealed tight. She kept her hands clasped tightly around her ears, hoping for some deliverance. However, there was none. Finally, she opened her eyes and looked to the sky. "Just get out of my head!" she cried out.

Bats fluttered through the trees. The voices had disappeared. She collapsed to her knees, her head parallel to the ground. Staring blankly, she stopped and wondered. Was that all it took? Or were there other forces at work here? Saria did not know, could not know, but she wanted to find out. She needed to know what was going on, what was so important… "Why me…?" she muttered.

"Because it is your destiny!" a woman's voice proclaimed.

Saria spun around, witnessing a strange phenomenon. Dark mists of energy swirled around, surrounding the small shrine. All of the light vanished; the darkest of blackness was all that remained… except for a faint glow. Winds rushed, blowing in her face. She blocked her eyes with her hands, gasping out in horror at the sight. A single rod; carefully carved of fine oak and wrapped in ivy. A small golden stand held the object in place on top of a stone pedestal.

So, it had drawn her in. It only wanted her here, at this place. In the darkness, she had failed to notice that she had been brought far away from where she was, but now she knew... The source of the dark powers, the evil magic… lay before her eyes. She had heard of this, but did not anticipate finding it here. If she had, Saria would've stay far away from the place.

"The Scepter of Darkness…" she muttered as the entire area, along with her own body, was consumed in the blackness.

xx_** Two Years Later**_ xx_**  
**_

The night sky loomed over the ranch. Dark creatures scattered across the fields, threatening to consume everything in their path. The young farm hand, fifteen years of age, cried out for deliverance. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a bolt of lightning struck at the entrance into the ranch. A horse stood up on its hind legs; its rider yelling out across the field, his voice echoing through the trees surrounding the ranch as he raised his sword to the sky.

Clapping his heels together, he signaled for the horse to charge forward. Rushing down the slope, she let off a great neigh, as if she were crying out to the spirits. The hero swung at the first fiend, slicing through its soft body. Dust and feathers flew everywhere. The horse race on ahead and he swung again, and again. Two more fell to the sword, their remains floating gracefully to the ground. Seven more remain. There wasn't much time left, he knew, but he had to try.

Taking a left, he dashed ahead, swinging the sword on the right, then to the left, then on the right again. The forest's edge was up ahead. He turned right where more of the fiends lay. The horse's movement was steady and strong. She galloped gracefully, giving her rider the proper leverage he needed. The fiends fell one by one. Now, there was only one left. Time was running out. It came down only to this.

He narrowed his eyes, staring at the final creature sitting in the grass across the field. It would be difficult to make it all the way over their in such little time, but with his girl, he knew he'd make it. Clasping his heels together, he called out and the horse raced ahead at full-speed. Closer, closer, closer… Little time was left. The clock was running out. He couldn't make it in time… but he knew what he had to do.

He raised his sword once again. Pulling back, he quickly threw it forward. The blade pierced through the air as the clock ticked down. Three, two, one…

"Time!" a female voice called out. It was the same girl that had yelled earlier.

The blade stuck out of the final beast, its feathery stuffing falling gracefully to the ground. The rider jumped off of his horse and wiped the sweat off his face. The girl ran over and hugged him. "Hurray, Link! You beat the record!"

Link nodded. "Yeah, but I had hoped to get a quicker score, not to tie it. Using the bow is a lot easier as it can cross large gaps in a short amount of time. I can't really use the bow in the blades-only challenge, so I have to get closer in order for it to work out."

"Romani, stop playing and help me make dinner!" a voice called out from the house.

Romani turned back, begrudgingly. "Yes, big sis," she called back, a little irritated, "I'll be there in a little bit."

Link shrugged his shoulders. "Cremia giving you a hard time?" he asked.

Romani shrugged back. "I don't know what to think. She's nice and all, but she still acts like I'm a child, sometimes! I know she's only trying to take good care of everything after Mom and Dad died, but... Well, I'm fifteen years old! She's just doesn't have to treat me this way…"

Link sighed. "Well, I don't know what to tell you, but just remember that she cares about you and loves you. She doesn't want you to get hurt."

The girl nodded back in reply. "Yes, I know that, but… I don't know…"

"Well, I don't know what to say, either. You probably should go and give her a hand. I'll wait until you guys are done."

Romani smiled. "Okay, then. Thanks a lot…" she glanced around, curiously, then quickly opened her mouth, again, speaking at a whisper. "…Grasshopper…"

Link burst into laughter, and Romani joined in. She was actually a little embarrassed by her first nickname for him, but she still enjoyed bringing it up once and a while for a little laugh.

"Romani," Cremia yelled out, "this food isn't getting done any quicker with you out there and me in here doing all the work!"

Romani turned back to her sister. "I'm coming, I'm coming!" she called back in reply.

She shook her head, slightly irritated. The young farm hand quickly turned back to Link, giving him a quick peck on the cheek, much to his surprise. "I'll call you, later," she stated, before quickly running back to the house.

Link looked down at the ground, kicking his foot in the dirt, dust spraying into the air. His thoughts began to stir. Memories of the past came forth. All of his mistakes… Why did he leave, anyway? Yes, he left to find a friend, a good friend… but for what? He left behind an even better friend, one that would never forgive him.

It was a strange thing. Not five years ago, he had just began to set out and return home, trying to find his way back to the Lost Woods, but then, Romani came running after him. She didn't want him to leave. She offered him the chance to stay with them on the ranch, and Cremia was willing to pay for his help, as well. He didn't expect to stay long, perhaps a few months, but then he ended up staying for five years.

He never did tell them where he had really come from, though. They'd never believe him. They simply thought that Hyrule was some far off land, which it is… but they'd never anticipate that it existed in a different dimension entirely! Heck, he barely believed it—all he knew was what that crazy old mask salesman said, and that guy certainly didn't seem very reliable. Regardless, he was definitely the same person that had opened up his shop in the Hyrule Market, though that in of itself was a little difficult to believe.

Heh… Link didn't know what he should believe. Everything was just a convoluted mess right now. Why—

Whispers echoed in the wind. Link waited, trying to understand what was being said. **"Soon, the truth will become known…"**

The legendary 'Hero of Time' quickly spun around, slicing his sword across. However, he saw nothing. The voice disappeared. He glanced around, stunned. "What was that all about…?"

"Hey, Link, dinner's ready!" Romani called out.

Link turned back and nodded his head. "I'll be right there!"

He turned back for one quick look before racing back to the house.

Link placed his utensils down, before him. "I'm stuffed," he proclaimed.

Romani giggled, a bit. "I'll say," she stated. "With how much you ate, I'm not really surprised."

Cremia laughed a bit alongside Romani, feeling better from earlier, but something clearly on her mind. She watched Link and Romani have a little fun, but when things calmed down, she decided to state her request. "Uh, hey, Link," she stated.

Link turned to her and nodded. "Yes?" he asked.

Cremia nodded her head. "Well, I wanted to know if you would be up for a late-night run. Koume, the old hag from the forest, has requested a batch of Chateau Romani for some new potions she's working on, and she personally requested that you deliver it. You don't have to do it if you don't want to, or if you do want to take it, you can always deliver it in the morning, but she requested it to be as soon as possible."

Link shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I don't have much going on, right now. Is the load small enough that I could take Epona with me? I'm sure that she'd love a good run."

Cremia nodded again in reply. "Yes, of course. She only requested one bottle to be delivered, so that should be fine."

Link nodded his head, now. "Alright, then. That should be fine. I'll get right to it."

The young man quickly pushed himself from his seat, but then Romani jumped up, as well. "Be careful!" she called out.

Link saluted, causing Romani to giggle a little. He chuckled a bit, as well. "Don't worry, I'll be fine," he stated.

He quickly ran outside and to the stable. He opened the gate and Epona quickly ran up to him, nudging herself up against his body. He placed his hands on her, brushing his fingers through her mane. "There, there, girl, it's alright."

The horse calmed down a bit, and Link quickly set up her saddle. Walking over to the side, he pulled himself up onto her back. Link snapped the reins and the horse immediately darted off toward the front gate of the ranch.

Romani ran out of the house and up onto the hilltop. She waved her hand at Link as he rode off. Link waved, back, and then quickly raced off.

Epona ran swiftly onward. She darted through the rocky path, and then into a small wooded area. Getting an idea, Link gripped the reins hard left, and the horse immediately galloped on into the woods. He could take a shortcut through the Woods of Mystery directly to the Hags' Hut.

Racing through the woods, Epona galloped onward, keeping a steady, swift pace. It should not be too far, now. Koume and Kotake's place should be just up ahead…

Link stared onward, but saw nothing but deeper and deeper woods. The forest didn't go back that far, did it? Or did he make a miscalculation?

He pressed on the reins and the horse shot forward once again. However, he still did not see the Hags' Hut. The trees became thicker and denser. The woods cried out to him, wailing in their pains. Wolves howling, beasts screaming, bats fluttering…

Darkness took hold, surrounding him… The deepest black lay before his eyes, threatening to consume his soul. Epona can to a halt, standing on her hind legs. She cried out, jumping back. Link fell to the ground, landing hard on his side. Pain coursed through his veins.

Out of the blackness came a woman. She was covered head to toe by a deep, green cloak, almost black. She held in her hands an ivy-covered staff. Her face was almost entirely invisible hidden away in the back of her hood. However, Link did see her eyes… pure green. They glowed brightly, sending the deepest of dread through his soul.

"Who is this that has dared enter into these woods?" the woman cried out.

Link regained his footing, brandishing his Kokiri Sword. He backed away. "I think I do," he proclaimed.

She laughed out. "Oh, such a pitiful creature. This measly weapon cannot harm one such as me."

The boy hissed. "I'll take my chances."

The woman laughed out, again. "Hmmhmmhmm… You do not know whom you are dealing with. I am the Great Sorceress, and with my scepter of darkness, this world shall be drowned in sorrow and dread!"

Link shook his head. He charged forward, bringing his sword down on top of her. "Not if I can help it!" he cried out.

The hero pressed his sword down, hard. The sorceress quickly placed her wooden staff in front of her. Link smiled in reply. He would slice straight through this—

His sword came down onto the scepter and his sword bounced off. Link stumbled back a bit, but quickly spun back and saw that the weapon remained completely undamaged. Not even a scratch was left over. "Holy…"

"Now it's my turn," she proclaimed.

She raised her staff into the air, calling forth the spirits of darkness. Link collapsed onto his knees, filled with dread… The woman raced forward, faster than he could ever imagine, and slammed the top of the staff onto his back. He hit the ground, hard, but she wasn't done. Raising her other hand, she quickly raised Link off the ground, while he remained immobile.

Rotating him around so that she could face him directly, they stared into each other's eyes. Link looked onward in surprise. She didn't appear any older than he was.

"Now, you die!" she proclaimed, pushing her hand forward once again.

Link flew backwards through the air, hitting bushes and branches along the way. At last, he hit the ground, rolling quite a ways before coming to a stop. He was beaten and bruised. His body ached all over. He couldn't stop thinking about what he saw. Who was that girl…?

"**You have come,"** a voice proclaimed.

"**You are here,"** another stated.

"**The Hero of Time has returned,"** a third said.

Link shook his head, but then quickly noticed the three figures surrounding him. He stood up and turned to each of them, mouth agape, staring in utter surprise… and horror. "Who are you…?

"**We are the Goddesses that have created this world. I am Din,"** the first proclaimed, bearing a red aura.

"**And I am Farore,"** the second said, this one bearing a green aura.

"**And I am Nayru,"** the third proclaimed, this one with a purple aura.

"**You have been called here to bring light and order back into this world,"** Din proclaimed.

"**A great evil has entered and threatens to change this land into a place of evil,"** Farore stated.

"**You have already met this evil, young Hero of Time. In time, you will learn more about it,"** Nayru added.

Link shook his head. "Listen, I don't really know much about this… How am I to know what to do?"

"**You are the Hero of Time. You will find a way,"** Nayru said.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, can you, like, give me _something_ to go by…? A hint, a clue…?"

Farore nodded in reply. **"Soon, you will meet the one that first unleashed this evil. She is very distraught at being the cause of this peril and may help you on your quest. She will tell you more, but first, you will need a ride."**

Link nodded in reply. "Got it," he stated.

Now it was Din's turn to speak, again. **"We shall leave, now, and our blessings be with you. Only you can save Hyrule."**

Link opened his eyes wide. "Wait, Hyrule?! I'm back in Hyrule?!"

Glancing around, he saw nothing. It was as if they had never been there. He blinked and shook his head. "O-kay, so what was that all about…?"

He sighed. "Well, I guess I'd best get going, then."

Link glancing around and quickly found a large clearing. Racing towards it, he saw the glamorous sight that was Hyrule Field. It looked bigger than ever! …but what was up with those dark clouds looming overhead? This couldn't be good…


	2. The Southern Expanse

**The Legend of Zelda: The Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 2 – The Southern Expanse**_

Link swiftly made his way across the fields of Hyrule beneath the ominous clouds overhead. It would take some time to reach the ranch, so he decided to take in the scenery. The Kokiri Forest lay to the far east, gleaming under the morning sun. Further northeast, Death Mountain could be seen looming overhead, casting dark shadows upon Kakariko Village, a small town at the foot of the mountain.

Directly north, Link saw Hyrule Castle in the distant horizon. To the west, he knew, was the great Lake Hylia, but it wasn't visible through the lines of trees and hills. Northwest of Lake Hylia lay the Gerudo Desert, a scorching wasteland that was also home to the entirely female gang of thieves. However, it, too, remained invisible from his position.

This wasn't what Link kept his eyes on, though. He instead stared directly at the small group of buildings in the center of the field. Tall fences surrounded this place to keep the monsters away. A few trees also lingered just outside of the fence, giving it a lively atmosphere.

"Lon Lon Ranch," Link stated, repeating the name out loud.

The ranch wasn't too far off, but it would still take a little walking distance to reach it. It was located directly in the center of the field, halfway between his present location and the Market Town surrounding the castle. Horses were bred here and other livestock. The cows here were very famous throughout Hyrule for their Lon Lon Milk, which provide good nutrients.

At last, Link decided to continue onward. Some beasts were roaming about, but none paid much attention to him, so he just ignored them. There wasn't much else to see, here, except wide opens plains. A little ways ahead, he did see something new, though. Apparently, the stream running down from Zora's River had been redirected down here, or a split-off had come this way.

A flow of shallow water ran through a small gully. A short bridge crossed over it. It was definitely new, as he didn't remember this from before, but it looked like it was falling apart. It couldn't have been that long, could it…? First, something would've have to have blocked off the stream; second, the water had to build up enough to go over the shallow land near the entrance to the Kokiri Forest; third, it would have to flow in this direction, and then fourth, the bridge would be built. A new bridge would last quite a few years, so why is this one already in shambles…?

Link turned his eyes left and right as he stepped up onto the small bridge. The water was very light and shallow, but people wouldn't want to get their feet wet, would they? Hmm… what was it doing here, though? There is nothing back here but forest. Well, if someone from the forest did it…

He glanced to the east, facing the direction where the entrance to the Kokiri Forest lay. It was quite a ways off, but he could still see where the entrance was… noting the "was" part: the pathway leading back into the forest tunnels was completely overgrown. He spun around, looking along the line of trees that spread out in all directions. There didn't seem to be much here, anymore. Well, at least, to the naked eye. Looking carefully, though, he did manage to spot a small clear-cut pathway just a little southwest of the original forest entrance, around the bend a little bit.

Link shrugged his shoulders. Things sure changed a lot in five years. How could so much have happened in such a short amount of time…? He shook it off. It didn't matter. Something had to be done.

He quickly turned back around and began to move on once again. A few trees and small mounds around the area were clearly new, but those weren't all that surprising. However, he also saw some trees that he remembered, but now, they had grown very large. A tall oak stood right at the bottom of a short hill. He remembered planting one here with Malon shortly before he had left on his journey. Now, though, it was far bigger than he had ever imagined.

A strange thought crossed his mind. He didn't want to think of such a thing, but… Could their have been some sort of time difference between Hyrule and Termina…?

Once again, he shook the thoughts out of his head. _'If there is, I'll found out, soon,'_ he told himself.

Link was starting to get a little frustrated. He knew where he had to go, yet at the same time, he kept on distracting himself with various things. Pushing all his thoughts away, he ran on ahead, up the short hill next to the tree, and saw Lon Lon Ranch about twenty yards away.

He darted on ahead, now on even ground, and reached the outer fence where the ranch was. Of course, nothing could be seen inside over the tall fence, but it did seem… cleaner. All the vines had been removed, and the wooden fencing was much newer and of fine quality. It also seemed that the ranch itself was expanded wider to make more room on the inside.

Heading west and north along the outskirts of the ranch, he found the entrance, but it was now completely fenced over, as well, with a small door leading in. A much larger entrance was also built around the smaller doorway; this clearly being to transport things in and out.

Link walked up to the door and grabbed the handle, turning it all the way around to the right. He heard a click and the door opened. He looked inside and his mouth opened wide. "What in the world?!"

The place was definitely a lot bigger. The barn was still there, but it was now nearly double the size. It now seemed that it was further east of the entrance than before. The residence was now next to the barn, while the original residence had been expanded greatly. Along the front of the three-story building, a large banner hung down, saying "Lon Lon Inn – Now Open!"

Straight ahead, Link saw the usual coral, filled with horses, and slightly larger than before. However, that wasn't expanded nearly as much as the rest of the place. There were also quite a few new pens, too, these just outside the barn, that held the usual Lon Lon Cows, but there were also pigs, too, and a new one for the coocoos.

An old man hobbled over to the entrance to greet him. "Hello, there, young mister, and welcome to Lon Lon Ranch! We've got some nice goods available, or if you wish, you may even 'ent a horse—for a small fee, of course. There's also the newly opened Lon Lon Inn for weary travelers wandering through these plains of 'ahrule…"

Link narrowed his eyes, slightly startled, and slightly angered, too. "Ingo…?" he asked.

Ingo raised his index finger and his thumb up to his chin. "Hmm… 'ah don't know you, do 'ah…? You do seem slightly familiar to someone 'ah remember, but he left Hyrule twenty years ago and—"

Link raised an eyebrow. He quickly backed away, startled and surprised. "Twenty years? I've been gone twenty years?!" he demanded.

Now this caught Ingo's attention. He stood up the best he could and stared at the boy. "You couldn't be Link, could you…? That young lad should be in his early thirty's by now, yet I see a boy age sixteen…"

Link shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I just want to know what happened to this place, and where are Talon and Malon?"

Ingo chuckled to himself. "Aye, 'ah see. Well, 'ah own this here ranch, now. Old Talon died about six years ago, and Miss Malon promptly sold everythin' t' me and moved away. 'Ah 'aven't seen 'er, since." He paused in his speech a bit, thinking to himself. "Well, as fer 'wot happened to this place, 'wot do you think 'appened?! I went out and improved it ten-fold! Now it's a bustling business."

Link sighed. He went on to speak, but suddenly, a young girl came out of the house nearby. She was about two years younger than he himself and wore garments made of fine silk, green in color. He eyes were also a light green, but her hair was a very unusual color… pure white, like that of snow. She was also a good head shorter than Link. Around her neck, she wore a silver pendant shaped like a triangle but with a "U" inside of it. She was gorgeous, he admitted, but… who was she?!

"What's wrong, Uncle Ingo?" she asked.

Link raised an eyebrow. "Er, 'uncle'…? You've got a niece?"

Ingo laughed out. "Well, more 'ike… adopted daughter, 'ou could say. Can 'ou excuse me fer a moment, please?"

The old man quickly turned to face the girl, pointing toward the building. "Sheila, sweetie, can y' please go back inside fer now? 'ahm tending to 'n old friend…"

The girl, apparently named 'Sheila,' nodded her head in reply. "Yes, uncle, of course," she stated. She immediately returned back to the house and closed the door behind her.

Ingo turned back to face Link, nodding his head in reply. "Now, where were we? Ah, yes… So, 'wot business do ya' have 'ere?"

Link nodded his head in reply. "Well, I came to see if I could borrow a horse, and since that 'Lon Lon Inn' has opened up, as well, I figured that I could stay the night and leave in the morning."

Ingo nodded in reply. "Ah, 'ah see. So, 'ou do 'ave some business, 'ere, after all? As long as 'ouv got the funds t' pay, 'ou can stay."

Link nodded once again and pulled a small bag out of his pocket. "How much do you need?"

The man smiled, slyly. "Twenty rupees a day fer the horse, and fifty rupees a night fer a room."

The boy nodded his head once, again, and began counting, but then it hit him. He turned back up, staring at Ingo. "Wait, twenty rupees a DAY?!"

Ingo chuckled to himself. "If 'ah wasn't feeling nice, today, it'd cost a lot more. 'our gettin' it cheap."

Link sighed, but begrudgingly handed over fifty rupees for the room. "I'll pay for the horse once I see it in the morning," he said.

Ingo grabbed the money and counted it. He nodded to himself and quickly turned back to face the nearby house. "Sheila, come on out 'ere!"

The young girl quickly came running out of the house and stood a few feet in front of Ingo, nodding her head in reply. "Yes, uncle…?" she asked.

Ingo motioned to Link, and then to the nearby building, but tilting his head a little more toward the west side. "Get this 'oung man a room, please."

Sheila nodded in reply. "Yes, right away," she stated.

She walked passed Ingo and toward the building, motioning for Link to follow. She held a key in her hand. "Right this way, please," she asked Link, politely.

Link nodded and followed behind her. However, he kept his eyes on Ingo the entire time.

The man smiled, slyly. "Nice doin' business wit' ya', hehe..."

Link didn't smile back.

XXXXX

Sheila closed quietly closed the door to the house as she made her way outside. She turned her head back to the newly completed inn, which already had been quite successful, recently, especially for those heading to Hyrule Castle, and eyes the window in the far left of the top floor. The lights were, off, now, so apparently Link had finally fell asleep.

Ingo had purposely requested that Link be placed into that room so as to avoid any unwanted suspicions. He may not have said it out loud, but she did see him motioning to that specific room. Now, he wanted to talk to her out by the horse corals, so when night had come, she had immediately set out to do just that.

As expected, the old man was standing next to the metal fencing that kept the horses from escaping. At last Ingo noticed Sheila coming and angrily yelled out to her. "Ah, Sheila, about time 'ou got 'ere! 'Ahv been waiting fer'ever fer 'ou t' get down 'ere! Wot took 'ou so long?!"

Sheila simply rolled her eyes, a bit irritated about this whole thing. "What do you expect?! I was waiting for the light to go out in Link's room so I knew that he was asleep! I can't just run out here in the dead of night or he might get suspicious."

Ingo laughed. "Aha, 'ouv got a good one, there!"

'_I wasn't joking…'_ she thought to herself.

The old man lifted up his can and tapped on the fence. "'Ole Melinda's been actin' up, again," he stated. "If that gurl keeps this up, we're gonna 'ave some problems!"

Sheila sighed. "Okay, so what do you need me for?"

Ingo nodded his head in reply. "If we can get rid 'o 'er, it will draw the heat off 'o us. That gurl is bad news. 'Ahm gonna' need 'ou to convince that 'oung lad up there t' take 'er."

Sheila tapped her foot on the ground, growing impatient. "And…?"

"And 'ah need 'ou t' calm 'er down fer the presentation tomorrow!" Ingo demanded.

The girl narrowed her eyes. "Wait, you want _me_ to do it? Why can't YOU do it, this time?! She _hates_ me!"

The elderly man nodded in reply. "And she 'ates me just as much as 'ou! 'Ah can't do it, though—'ahm too old t' 'andle those 'orses."

Sheila once again began tapping her foot on the ground. "Ohhhhh… You and I both know that she is—"

Ingo reached across and slapped the girl across the face. She fell to the ground, not because the hit, but so that he wouldn't hit her again. "'Ah know that and 'ou know that, but 'e don't know that! 'Ou shan't speak another word o' this, again, understand?"

Sheila nodded her head, holding her hands up in surrender. "Yes, _uncle_, I understand…"

Ingo spat. "Keep this up and 'ah may as well send 'ou back wit' 'em," he proclaimed.

Upon finishing his statement, he quickly hobbled off and back into the house. Sheila just sat there, motionless. She didn't _want_ to go back…


	3. Lon Lon Tragedy

Author's Note(s): This one's mostly filler. First part has some relevant info, but the second part doesn't have much at all.

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda – The Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 3: Lon Lon Tragedy**_

Link laid awake in the soft cushions of the new Lon Lon Inn, musing over the tragedy that had befallen him. He did not say anything before so as to not stir up any trouble, but he was well aware of the situation; while he had been gone merely five years in Termina, time in Hyrule had passed by nearly twenty years. During this time, dark powers had managed to cover the land once again.

He couldn't sleep. He didn't have the will to. Instead, he let his mind drift… He thought about Romani and Cremia. What would they think when learning that he had just vanished? Of course, it's not like everyone here hadn't felt the same way. He didn't know, exactly… Most had known that he was going to return. However, he wasn't supposed to be gone _this_ long…

Now it seems that the world has grown up around him. That must be how the Kokiri feel… Living in a world that aged and grew up around them, while they remain the exact same age… forever… In this case, he did grow older, but everyone else grew faster. Zelda… Malon… He wondered what they might be doing now. He also wondered how Malon felt after seeing her father die…

He didn't want to think about what he was going to see. He felt that it may just be better for him to avoid contact with anyone else he knew. This would be a difficult task, but it was the best thing he could come up with. In this manner, he would avoid any unwanted attention. However, there were some that may be able to help… The Kokiri undoubtedly would not recognize him. Maybe if he could get into a discussion with the Deku Shrub; or perhaps now it was actually a Deku Tree, then he would find some aid…

Link nodded to himself. Yes, that would be a suitable plan. After renting a horse from Ingo, he would immediately set out for the Kokiri Forest. Most of the Kokiri should hopefully not recognize him. However, there is one who just may… He so wanted to see her, again, but after being gone so long, would she truly accept his return…?

He shook the thoughts out of his head. He didn't want to think about that.

Suddenly, he heard a door shut across the way. He blinked. Someone was up this late at night…? He climbed out of the bed and walked over to the window. The door was shut tight and the lights were off. However, he thought he heard something else… Was it… singing? Wait, that was… Epona's song!

Looking out into the fields to the east—his left, he saw that girl, again. Sheila was her name, correct? She stood outside the corals, seemingly singing to the horses. Why was she doing this, though?

Link made his way through the building and back outside through the door. He carefully shut it in such a way so that he wouldn't alert Sheila of his presence. He then made his way along the path as quietly as he could. There, he saw it. Sheila wasn't singing to just any horse that was nearby. The others simply ignored her. However, there was one that kept its eyes directly on the girl.

The horse just stood there, listening intently. Link stared directly at it, trying to see if it was his horse, but it wasn't. This horse was a lighter brown, but also with some hints of red. Its mane, on the other hand, was a much deeper red; more maroon than brown. It was such a strange sight indeed.

Suddenly, the horse cried out, kicking up against fencing. It was trying to get out; trying to get away. Why, though…? Sheila backed away in astonishment. The horse was no longer watching her. She raised an eyebrow. Link watched as she turned back to look in the direction that the horse was looking.

He gasped out. It was staring directly at _him_.

Sheila gasped out in surprise. "You…" she muttered.

Link nodded in reply. "What is this…?" he asked.

Sheila regained her composure and nodded. "Uh, this is… I'd like you to meet Melinda. She seems quite fond of you."

Link turned his eyes back to the horse. It calmed down almost immediately and simply stared. He stared back, curious. He approached the fence and reached his hand over, rubbing his hand along her mane. She seemed to like it a lot.

He turned to face Sheila. "This is a nice horse," he stated.

Sheila quickly nodded in reply. "Yes, yes, of course…"

Link turned back and stared into Melinda's eyes. He saw darkness and despair… This horse was a griever. It was searching for what it had lost… Such pain and suffering that this poor creature must have had to bear…

"You can take her if you like… Uncle Ingo said that you could take whichever one you wanted, though of course, you can't keep her, but you can have her for as long as you like if you have enough money," Sheila proclaimed.

Link nodded in reply. "I think I will," he stated.

He turned back and headed to the building. "I'm going to go to sleep, now. You probably should get some rest, as well."

Sheila nodded. "Yes, of course…"

Link nodded his head once again and quickly continued onward. He acted very casual, but in reality, he was furious. _'What is that crazy old fool up to this time?!'_ he asked himself. He knew that he'd definitely be coming back here, again…

XXXXX

The morning sun shone brightly upon the world below. Link had already paid the fee for the horse and was getting ready to leave. He had saddled her up and took her to the front entrance when Ingo and Sheila came up from behind. "So, 'our headin' out?" Ingo asked, casually.

Link nodded, his hands gripping the reins tightly. "Yes, of course. The money I gave to you should cover a week's worth, but if I need her longer, I'll come back here, again."

Ingo nodded in reply. "Of course," he stated. "That 'orse should do 'ou well out there. Just make sure she gets back 'ere safely, 'kay?"

Link chuckled to himself. _"She'll be far safer with me than she will with you…"_ he muttered under his breath.

The old man perked his ears up. "'ey? What's that?"

Link shook his head in reply. "Nothing," he stated.

Ingo narrowed his eyes. _'Right…'_ he thought to himself.

Sheila, whom was standing next to Ingo, waved to Link. "Take good care of her!" she called out.

Link waved back and nodded his head. "I will," he stated.

At last, he pulled himself up onto Melinda's back. He waved one last time, and then turned back to face the pathway leading back out of the ranch. Ingo had opened the gates previously so that Link could get through.

He leaned forward and whispered into the horse's ear. "Let's see what you can do…"

Melinda immediately reared herself up onto her hinds legs and then quickly charged forward and out through the gate. Ingo and Sheila walked down to the gate and watched them go, riding east and out of sight. Sheila continued to wave, but Ingo just chuckled lightly to himself. Suddenly, though, he heard someone galloping towards them.

Apparently Sheila heard it, too. This time, it was coming from the west. Ingo stepped outside to greet this new rider, but as the horse neared, he saw that it had no rider. Suddenly, his eyes opened wide. "Wait, you…?" he muttered to himself.

The horse stopped before reaching the ranch. It didn't move any further. Strangely, it had already been saddled and bridled. Ingo quickly tapped on Sheila's shoulder. "Sing that song…" he whispered.

Sheila raised an eyebrow. She shrugged her shoulders and started humming. The song echoed through the land, a soothing sound… Much to her surprise, the horse immediately rushed straight towards her.

Ingo laughed out, grabbing the horse by the reins. "Aha! So, 'our indeed Epona after all, 'eh? 'Ah guess that young lad really _was_ Link… This girl is certainly a pretty prize, hehehe… It's hard-fetched to find such a fine 'orse…"


	4. A Friend In Need

**Author's Note(s)**: Heh, sorry for the delay. At least it's not as bad as DoaAM's latest chapters, though, 'eh...? Anyway, a little revealing chapter, here. I myself am not too fond of all that dialog, but my sweet Hannah seems to like it... **  
**

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: The Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 4: A Friend in Need**_

Link rode swiftly across the plains, feeling the wind rush across his face. Melinda was surprisingly calm and gentle. She wasn't comparable to Epona, of course, but she was very well-behaved, and also very fast. It would still be some time before reaching the forest, but it wouldn't take long at this rate.

He surveyed the scenery, taking in every detail. Kakariko Village stirred in the east, caught in the shadows of Death Mountain. The mountain itself loomed overhead, smoke bellowing from the crater. It was an eerie sight to see…

To the south, a stream rushed from Zora's River. Now, though, it split into two directions—one led back up to the castle, while the other ran west, a little north of the forest but a ways south of Lon Lon Ranch. It seemed to flow in the direction of Lake Hylia, but he could not tell exactly where it ended from this distance.

Link turned back and stared directly at the forest entrance ahead. He clacked he heels together beneath the horse as she immediately darted on ahead. However, he quickly spotted a figure running out from the path leading deeper into the woods. Seeing a familiar sight, he quickly removed his sword and held it high. However, as this person approached, he realized that it was not whom he thought it was.

The figure wore a deep green cloak, much like that of the person he had met in the woods. However, this was actually a slightly lighter shade of green, and this person did not have that strange rod. Based on the movement and appearance, he guessed that this was indeed female, but he no longer felt threatened by her presence.

Apparently, she did not notice him. Instead, she was running… running from whom, though? The girl rushed down to the stream and stumbled her way across. Link raised an eyebrow. _'Could she be in trouble…?'_ he asked himself.

The girl managed to make her way over the stream, soaking her shoes and the bottom of her pants in the process. She then at last collapsed onto her hands and knees as she pulled herself out. Having barely escaped with her life left intact, she remained a little shaken from the beating she took.

'_What kind of people are they?!_' she asked herself.

She shook the thoughts out of her head. It didn't matter. At least she was able to get away. She began to stand up, but suddenly, she saw a hand reach down in front of her. She blinked in surprise.

"You look like you could use some help," Link asked.

The girl grabbed his hand and Link pulled her off the ground. As she turned her head up to see her rescuer, she suddenly gasped out, backing away. "Y… you!" she proclaimed.

Link stared at her, bewildered. "Uh, er, is something…"

He didn't have time to finish. The girl quickly darted forward, wrapping her arms around him. "You're alive! You're really alive!"

Link shook his head and quickly pushed her off of him, feeling a little awkward. He shook his head in dismay. "Uh, heh, I think you must have the wrong person…" he stated.

The girl stared at him, she herself feeling a little bewildered, as well. "Y… You're not him, are you…?" She lowered her head and sighed. "Oh, heh, I'm sorry... You see, I've been looking for someone... a friend… He disappeared a while ago, saying he'd return, yet he never did… For a while I had just given up all hope of finding him, again, but then…"

She nodded her head in reply, pulling out a large bow. "I found this lying in the woods. I remembered that he had used this, before. Of course, though, you couldn't be him, could you? He'd be a lot older, by now…" she sighed, again, and quickly turned away.

Link's eyes simply stared in disbelief, speechless. Could that really be…? "The Fairy Bow from the Forest Temple…" he muttered to himself.

The girl's eyes perked up. She turned back to face him. "Wait… you recognize this bow? Link, is that really you?"

Link nodded his head in reply. "Yes, actually, it is me, unless you're referring to a different Link. I'd try and explain—"

The girl quickly ran up and hugged him, again, wrapping her arms tightly around him. "Oh, I knew it! I knew you'd return!"

Link chuckled to himself. He pushed her off, again, waving his hands in front of him. "Hey, hey, you may know me, but I don't really know you… Maybe if I saw your face better I could tell, but…"

She immediately whipped off the hood, revealing what lay underneath. Her long hair flowed out behind her, braided most of the way down with beads and string. The braids ended with a couple inches of loose hair leftover. Her eyes seemed to glow with excitement; her irises a bright green. In age, she seemed about equal to him. Her face showed signs of a little bruising, but still held an elegant beauty. However, what really caught his eye was something else… It was the hair, but not because of the braiding… It was… _green_…

Link stared in disbelief, gasping out in surprise. "It can't be…"

The girl chuckled back in reply, arms behind her back, an innocent look on her face. "So, now do you recognize me?" she asked.

He blinked. "Saria…?"

Saria nodded in reply. "Yes, it is me."

He held his eyes open wide for a few seconds, startled beyond utter belief. "Wh... what happened to you?!" he asked.

Saria lowered her head, sighing. "I... I wanted to find you… I found the bow six years ago. That is when I decided to take my leave, and that's when it started… My doom has been sentenced."

Link shook his head in dismay. "Oh, Saria… You shouldn't have done that…"

She shook her head, waving her finger at him. "No, don't say that. It was my choice. I knew the punishment for leaving the forest. Admittedly, I didn't know the full effects, but… I just had to find you!"

He turned to face her, again, but she turned away. He reached over, placing his hand up against her chin, forcing their eyes to connect. Link just stared deeply, seeing the pain and suffering she had felt. Now he himself could feel that his eyes were not staring merely into her own eyes, but that they were staring directly into her soul…

Link backed away, shaking his head. "I… I'm sorry," he stated.

Saria just stood there, arms behind her back, not saying anything for a while. At last, she turned back to face him. Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, she smiled and ran over to him, wrapping her arms around his body. "Oh, I'm just so glad that I was able to see you, again…" she proclaimed.

Link smiled and nodded his head. "I'm glad, too," he stated.

They stood there for a bit, not saying anything. Link kept his arms at his side, while Saria kept her arms around him, her head pressed up against his chest. Then, though, something came to mind. She quickly backed away and faced him. "Wait… did you truly think it was a bad idea for me to do this? I… I just want to know…"

Link lifted his finger up to his chin, acting as if he was thinking, but then quickly lowered it and shook his head. "Actually, that'd be a 'no.' I merely was worried about your safety. Quite frankly, I think… I think that you… are beautiful…"

Saria lowered her head, feeling her face getting a little warm. She raised an eyebrow and quickly spun around, not wishing him to see. Link chuckled a bit, but said nothing.

As she stood there, her thoughts drifted… The painful memories came flooding back in, threatening to take hold… She collapsed to her knees, shivering. However, Saria soon felt a warm hand touch her shoulder. "Saria, are you okay?" Link asked.

Saria shook her head. "Link, I have to tell you something…"

Link looked down and sighed. He turned back to face her and shook his head in reply. "No, that will have to wait. You need dry clothes—you can't go around with your legs drenched." He turned to the sky, nodding his head. "Well, at least it's still morning."

He turned his head north, again. Placing his right index and ring finger's into his mouth, he whistled loudly. "Melinda, come here!" he called out.

The horse came running over, stepping up in front of him. Saria turned back, watching in surprise. "Did you get a new horse?!" she asked.

Link shook his head, but then shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it's kind of like that… I got into an encounter the other day and I lost track of Epona, so I borrowed… er, well, 'rented' this horse from the ranch. Heh, Malon never made me _pay_ to borrow a horse for a few days…"

Saria blinked, a little surprised. "You know Malon, the ranch owner?" she asked.

Link nodded his head. "Yeah, we go back. She's not the owner anymore, though."

Saria nodded her head in reply. "Yeah, I've heard. She left about two years ago, a little while after I got back."

Link blinked, again, startled. He quickly turned to face her. "Wait, what did you say?"

Saria raised an eyebrow. "Uh, er… I said that Malon left about two years ago. I know that for a fact because when I got back, I returned her horse, and then soon after, she left with the same horse. I never saw her since."

Link gritted his teeth, narrowing his eyes. _'Ingo told me she left SEVEN years ago!'_

He turned back to the horse, motioned for the ground. "Lay down."

Melinda did just that, lying down on the ground next to them. Link then motioned to Saria, nodding his head. "Use the horse to try and keep your legs warm. That should hopefully take care of it."

Saria nodded and moved closer to the horse, sitting next to her. Link then sat down on the ground in front of them, a stern look on his face. "Saria, can you tell me more about you know?" he asked.

She nodded in reply. "Yes, of course. I had something I wanted to tell you, anyway. What do you want to know, though?"

"Everything," he stated.

Link listened intently as Saria told of how she had grown distant from the world after his sudden disappearance. She had stayed in the Temple most of the time; often not seen for months on end. The other Kokiri wondered what was wrong with her; why she was acting this way. However, Mido, the self-proclaimed boss of the Kokiri, knew exactly what was wrong.

"He knew that I was upset over your leave," she explained. "I mean, you were always like a brother to me ever since you had come to the forest, and then suddenly you were gone… I don't know what came over me…"

Link shook his head. "Don't worry about it; its... its fine… It is actually my fault for being gone so long in the first place. I never intended it…"

Saria turned to him, wondering. "Link… what _did_ happen to you, anyway? Why did you leave so suddenly, and yet take so long to return?"

Link closed his eyes and sighed. He opened them again and at last began to speak. "Well, it's a long and complicated story, and you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Saria snickered to herself. "Try me," she muttered.

Link sighed, again. "Well, this should solve two of your questions. The truth is, I was only gone for five years, myself. However, apparently I was in some sort of alternate world from this one, or something like that, and in that world, one season of three months is as long as one year, here. Five years there ended up being twenty here."

She nodded in reply. "Hmm… that is something new, but I've seen stranger things, myself."

He chuckled back in reply. "Heh, tell me about it…"

The two of them just stared for a bit, feeling a little awkward. At last, though, Link turned back to face Saria. "So… what happened next?" he asked.

Saria nodded her head in reply. "Well, the years went by, this way. I would often travel through the woods, seeing if I could find you, but knowing I would not. Then, though, one day I decided to wander a little deeper, and then I found the bow lying on the ground. Actually, it was caught among a few tree roots and I tripped over it. Realizing that was the same one you had used, I chose to leave the forest and search for you, without warning any of the other Kokiri, or even the Great Deku Tree himself, that I was leaving."

She paused for a second, but then quickly continued. "I remembered you mentioning something about a ranch with 'creatures that could take people across fields in minutes.' Well, I took your bow and went out to find this place. I wasn't really good at horseback riding at first, but the owner, Malon, was very nice, and helped me out quite a bit…" she stopped for a second and chuckled a bit. "Heh, when she first saw me, she commented 'Oh, are you a fairy _girl_ from the forest? I remembered a young lad that had come to this ranch when _I_ was only a little girl, clad in similar garb as you.'"

Link lowered his head and chuckled. "That must've been me…" he muttered.

Saria giggled a bit in reply. "Mmm… I didn't know that… I guessed it might've been. I don't know why, but it never really seemed to cross my mind."

He nodded in reply. "Well, so, you then went and left Hyrule soon after?"

She nodded, as well. "Yes, I did. I traveled around quite a bit, and I loved it. However, even after four years had gone by, I still had found nothing… except for the stunning surprise of how much older I was. It took me a little while to get used to that. It didn't start happening until a few weeks after I left, when I noticed that my hair seemed a lot longer than usual. I myself expected something else, like… after a couple weeks I'd drop over dead, or something similar. It took me nearly a year to get used to it."

Link lowered his head and then brought it back up again. "Heh, I understand how you feel. It was a little weird when one minute I was a little boy, and then the next minute I—"

Saria raised an eyebrow. "W… wait, how'd you grow up _that_ fast?"

He looked up, surprised. Then it hit him and he gritted his teeth. "I, er… Well, it's not like that, exactly… Sorry, I must've mistaken a dream I had for the real thing, heh…" _'Hopefully she'll buy it…'_ he told himself.

She laughed out in reply. "Heehee… You're so funny… I actually had similar dreams, though. I don't know. It never crossed my mind until seeing you grow up over that first year. You left for a while and then came back. You seemed bolder, and brave, but it was strange seeing such a thing happen in such a short amount of time. I was even more stunned when you told me you weren't even a true Kokiri."

Link nodded his head, but secretly, he could feel his teeth biting down on his lip. "Yeah, I was a little stunned myself…" _'Heh, short amount of time? Yeah, right… If only you knew.'_

The two of them didn't say much for a while. In the silence, Saria heard a noise. What was that…? It sounded like… someone was digging in the dirt… She glanced back and saw Melinda dragging her hooves across the ground. She blinked in surprise. _'What a strange horse…'_ she thought to herself.

"Something wrong?" Link asked.

Saria turned back, shaking her head. "Uh, no…" she muttered.

She paused for a bit, but then quickly spoke up, again. "Well, actually, there was something I had wanted to tell you… It's about something that happened on my travels…"

Saria pushed herself back up to her feet, staring down at Link, a solemn look on her face. Link promptly stood up, as well. "Saria…? What's wrong?"

Tears began to stream down her cheeks. She faced the ground, eyes filled with sorrow. "Link, I… I did something dreadful…"

He lowered his head, trying to catch her expression. He wanted to say something, do something, but she quickly continued before he could. "During my fourth year, I began wandering in this far off land where a dark power was said to be held. Before, I had heard of an item called… the Scepter of Darkness… which locked away an ancient evil…"

She paused for a moment, but then quickly continued. "When traveling around this land, I came across a forest, and as I generally tried to check every area to see if I could find something, I went in there, as well. I did not like the looks of this place, but I chose to do so, anyway. My horse and I got separated when we got attacked. I then found myself alone in the forest, and soon voices echoed in my head. I tried to run from them, but I could not escape it. That is when I found it…"

He lowered his head. "You mean… that Scepter…?" His mind strayed to the past night. There was a woman holding a dark scepter. Could it be the same one…?

She nodded in reply. "Yes, the same one I mentioned earlier just happened to be in that forest. Just my presence there awakened its power. I was swallowed up in darkness, and then suddenly woke up outside the forest. I didn't know what happened. The horse was even standing by my side. Uh…Silhouette, her name was. I thought it was just a dream, until I saw dark energies swirling around, spreading out across the world."

Link gritted his teeth. He wished he did not know the horror that he had just heard. "So… it was you they were talking about…" he muttered to himself.

Saria quickly backed away in surprise, having apparently heard him. "Wh… what?!"

Link sighed. "I was attacked in the forest yesterday. I was running an errand for someone, when somehow I ended up back in Hyrule, again. That is when I saw the cloaked figure and the scepter in her hand. I was beaten easily. After waking up, I saw three figures. They said that I would meet the person 'who has caused this tragedy,' and she would help me to figure out where to go from there or something like that."

She blinked in surprise. "H… how…? Why…? Why you…?"

Link sighed, again. "Do you know what I did when I was gone that first week? You mentioned that I came back bolder and braver from that journey…"

Saria nodded. "Well, yes, of course… What does this have to do with—"

He quickly interrupted her. "I am what they call 'The Hero of Time.' It seemed like only a short while, but I did a lot more than that. I actually was gone seven years, where upon I fought and defeated the Dark Lord, Gannondorf, with the help of the Seven Sages."

Saria's eyes opened wide. She quickly backed away, stunned, at which point she tripped over Melinda and fell backwards. The horse grunted at her. Link quickly raced over, though, calling out her name. "Saria!"

She lay on her back on the ground, staring blankly. He waved his hand in front of her eyes. "Hello, earth to Saria…?"

She quickly blinked and shook her head. She sat up, stunned. "O-kay… Now that is a little less believable…"

Link turned his head to its side. "You don't believe me? I swear to you that—"

Saria quickly interrupted him, shaking her hand and waving her finger. "No, I didn't say that. I just said it was less believable. I didn't say I didn't believe you."

"You are one of the Seven Sages," he stated, suddenly.

She blinked again, even more stunned. "Okay, now I officially believe you," she proclaimed.

Now it was_his_ turn to be surprised. He faced her, awkwardly. "Wh… what?!"

She giggled a bit. "Well, I already knew I was the Forest Sage… I'll admit; I was surprised to hear it, myself, when the Great Deku Tree told me. Only by 'traveling through time' or whatever you did, could you have possibly known that I was the Sage of the Forest."

Link just stood there, stunned. "Uh… o-kay…"

He blinked, but then quickly shook his head. "Alright, then… I guess that's settled..."

Pausing, he glanced around, feeling awkward. Shaking the weird feeling off, he turned back to Saria. "Well, I had something I wanted to do in the forest, but it seems that something happened in there. I had intended on seeking out the Great Deku Tree in hopes of gaining some new information."

Saria lowered her head. "Mmm, I see… I do not know what has happened. Apparently, since the time I left and the time I got back, the Kokiri had moved on deeper into the forest. I do not know what became of the Great Deku Tree. It actually took me almost six months to get back to Hyrule, and that was traveling almost non-stop with few breaks here and there. Apparently I had traveled a lot further than I expected. When I was in Hyrule, I wandered around for the remaining time, trying to learn if anything had happened, and even then, I didn't have much money to really do anything. Only recently did I finally decide to return to the forest…"

Link nodded in reply. "I understand. I have to try, though."

He glanced around, but then quickly turned back to her. "I know what we'll do. You should head for the Hyrule Market Town on the outskirts of the castle. I'll give you some money to pay for a room at the inn, there. Lon Lon Ranch is closer, but I don't trust that Ingo. Make for the castle and I'll meet you there, tomorrow. I will need to see Princess Zelda, so we'll regroup from there."

Saria nodded in reply. "Okay, then," she stated. "I guess I'd best head out now so that I'll get there before the gates close."

Link nodded as well. He pulled out a pouch of money and handed her three red rupees. "There, that should be enough for a little while," he proclaimed.

He clasped his hand down onto hers before she pulled it back. Leaning forward, he whispered into her ear. "I'll be back soon…" he muttered, softly.

Saria pulled away and quickly nodded her head in reply. "I'll be waiting for you," she stated.

At last she quickly turned back and ran off. Link watched her go, waiting until she was completely out of sight before leaving, himself.

He moved forward and grabbed the horse's reins, pulling back. "Come on, girl, it's time to go," he said, softly.

Melinda did not budge, though. She pulled away, not willing to move from her spot. Link tried harder, but he lost his grip and fell to the ground. He stood back up on his two feet and turned to the horse.

Despite his best efforts, she hadn't budged an inch. Link just rolled his eyes. "Fine, then, be that way," he stated, walking away.

He made his way to the stream and simply decided to walk straight across, not willing to take the huge detour to reach the bridge. He made his way to the small entrance leading into the forest, but turned back to face the horse one last time.

Melinda was staring at him. She still had not moved, though. What the heck was she doing?! _'Well, whatever,'_ Link thought. _'I've got things to do, anyway.'_

He turned back and stepped into the forest alcove, wondering what tragedies awaited him.


	5. Barbarians of Ordon

**The Legend of Zelda - The Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 5: Barbarians of Ordon**_

Link made his way through the narrow pathway into the woods. There wasn't much to be seen just yet. The path was clear-cut and footprints were visible in the dirt, so it was obviously in use. However, it was strange at just how small it was. Perhaps someone was trying to hide its location…? That may be, but he did not know for certain. Whatever the case, he knew that he'd probably find out the "why" soon.

Pushing his thoughts aside, he moved deeper and deeper into the woods, following the path the best he could. At one point he thought he had heard something moving through the trees, but he just ignored it, assuming that it was merely the wind. Soon, he came out to a small clearing, but it was completely devoid of life.

Link glanced around in surprise. "What is this place…?" he muttered to himself.

It was just a completely vacant, empty field, in the midst of the trees. It wasn't very big, but it was strange… Who would clear out an area like this and just leave it sitting there, for no particular reason…? He saw some paths jutting out in three other directions. There was the path he came from, a path straight ahead and paths on either side, as well. All of them looked completely identical.

Unsure of what to do, Link decided to simply try taking the left path, for he knew that the Kokiri Woods were in that direction. He progressed onward, but soon came to a sudden surprise. He knew he had left the original clearing and into a side path, but strangely, it seemed that he was in the exact same place. Everything looked completely identical…

He rolled his eyes and quickly made his way through, deciding to take the path to his right, this time. He moved forward, expecting to see more forest… However, he instead saw what he dreaded… Another clearing and three more paths… not one of which looked any different from what he had seen before.

He groaned. _'What in the world is this?!'_ he asked himself.

Link shook the thoughts out of his head. There had to be some way through here! He pressed on, taking the right path again, and then he again found himself in the exact same place. However, he didn't let it get to his head. He went left, then right, then left, and then straight. Once again, each time, it was all exactly the same as before.

He collapsed to his knees, hands on the cold ground. What the heck was this, anyway?! He wasn't getting anywhere it seemed… Was there some sort of spell causing one to be trapped in this place? Was there something else that caused this…? He didn't know what to think…

Suddenly, out of the trees, three bulky figures rushed out, surrounding him. All were very large and muscular, holding long spears in their hands. Upon seeing these weapons pointing down at him, he thought it was a group of Moblins. However, looking up, he instead found them to be three humans, distinguishable by their rounded ears, unlike the Hylian pointed ears. Each of them wore brown ragged clothes; torn in quite a few places.

The first stepped forward. "Who are you and what are you doing in this domain?!" a booming voice demanded.

Link just stared ahead, saying nothing. Suddenly, he felt a pain in his side. One of the figures pushed spear up against the side of his body, not too hard, but enough to cause a bit of pain, and act as a warning. "Talk, kid!" he proclaimed.

"Yeah, talk!" the third said.

Link sighed. "My name is Link and I am searching for someone in these woods, but the path I normally take is overgrown, so I had to come through here."

The first laughed out. "Ha! You're funny! The only people here are us Ordonians. These woods make a nice home."

Link raised an eyebrow. "Or… Ordonians?"

The man nodded, again. "Yes, we come from the Land of Ordon to the south. I refuse to say anything further to a stranger, though."

"You come with us!" the third one proclaimed.

The second nodded, as well. "That girl may have escaped our grasp, but now we've got you to make up for it."

Link raised an eyebrow. _'Girl…? Do they mean… Saria?'_

He jumped to his feet, swiping out with his sword. "If you did anything to hurt her, I'll…"

The third poked his spear into Link's back. "Shut up!"

"Ooh, look," the second stated, "he's got a sword! He better know how to use it…"

The first laughed, as well. "Ha! Perfect! I'll tell you what, kid… If you can best me in combat, you can go free."

Link rolled his eyes. "And if I lose…?"

The man laughed, again. "I get to place your head on a platter."

Link narrowed his eyes. "I see," he proclaimed.

_**XXXXX**_

The three men took Link to their village. It was a small town a ways deeper into the forest. Apparently, the "maze" at the entrance was intended as a ward to keep away others. In reality, it was merely cut out that way with no magical properties whatsoever. If one had gone straight in one direction, that person would be able to escape from the maze.

Now, Link saw first hand at what kind of barbaric people they seemed to be. It was apparently a warring tribe of sorts, hailing from a land in the south. They were cut off from their homes and pushed into the forest. Now it seemed that they were merely extra-protective of their home and did not wish to be pushed away once again. However, they took any intruders as threats to their way of life.

Link was dragged off to a small arena of sorts which consisted of four poles sticking out of the ground with ropes stretched out between them. This was where the warriors faced off against one another in training. Now, Link was being forced to fight their leader in a match-up.

Three warriors stood at the sides of the small arena, looking over it. The man that had challenged him stepped into the opposite side, brandishing a large sword; easily at least double the size of Link's own sword, but it seemed much larger than that.

Link pulled out his Kokiri Sword from its sheath, though it was much different now from when he first received it. This is because he had it heavily increased in strength by the sword smith back in Termina.

Link's opponent faced him, eying him carefully. "So, boy, show me what you've got! Face the wrath of Tien Li!"

It seemed that the entire village had come to cheer on Tien Li, their leader. All of them were surprised to see such a puny figure as his opponent, but Link himself did not mind.

The man charged forward at Link, striking swiftly, expecting that to be the end. However, Link was swifter. He rolled left around the man and struck across his back, drawing blood. Li growled ferociously and stomped on the ground. His weight caused Link to lose his balance, but he was able to regain it and narrowly avoid a strike to the head with a back flip.

Link grinned, slyly, beckoning with his hand.

Li growled, again, and cried out, rushing forward. Link, though, rolled between his legs and struck as he passed by, cutting lightly into the flesh.

Blood seeped from the wound as Li fell to the ground. He shook his head and quickly pushed himself back up, again, turning back to face Link. "I will not lose to a stranger, especially a mere boy!"

Link chuckled. "Heh, you wouldn't believe what this 'boy' has down. You may want to give up now or risk losing your life."

Li hissed. "Why, you!"

Link's smile widened. "I have already struck you two times while you haven't even touched me. I'm not going to lose."

The man growled, but realized that Link was right. He already began to notice how all of his people began to abandon him. Instead, they now seemed to be cheering for Link… Li hissed. "My honor shall be avenged! Die, fool!" he cried out, rushing forwards.

Link just waited as his opponent rapidly made his way across the arena. He watched as Li grew closer and closer… Li raised his sword for one final blow…

As the sword came down, Link ducked forward and grabbed Li's arm. He pulled himself up and swung around to the man's back, climbing up onto his shoulders, holding on as tight as he could. The man struggled to get him off, trying to swing this way and that. Link held his grip, though, and did not fall.

At last, Li stopped his tracks… Link held the sword up high, readying to strike. "Any last words?" he asked.

Li hissed. "I am beat. My honor has been stolen from me. Kill me now."

Link shrugged his shoulders, nodding in reply. "As you wish," he stated.

Li closed his eyes as the sword fell. However, after a few seconds of nothing happening, he opened eyes again to a startling scene. He saw the sword before his eyes, only inches from his face. Link leaned over, peering down. "I do not kill needlessly," he stated.

He kicked off of Li, knocking him to the ground, as he flipped backwards through the air and landing gracefully into the soil. Everyone cheered for Link, and he smiled back, waving his hand. Then he saw Tien Li once again, on his hands and knees, his honor destroyed.

He nodded his head and quickly walked up to him, kneeling down in front of his face. "Leave me!" Li quickly demanded, turning away.

Link chuckled to himself. "Honor is not found in strength alone," he stated.

He stood up, again, and began to walk away. "Can anyone tell me where the Lost Woods may be found….?" he asked.

One woman stepped up, nodding her head. "There's a hill just to the north where the entrance lies, but the area is completely overgrown," she stated. "We didn't know what it was when we first explored there, but others from this land have mentioned something called the 'Lost Woods,' so we guessed that must be it."

Link nodded his head. "That sounds like the description. I shall be going, now."

Li suddenly looked up. "Wait!" he stated.

Link turned back to face him. "Yes?" he asked.

Li kneeled down, presenting his sword. "It was an honor fighting such a worthy opponent. I hope to find my strength and challenge you again sometime. You are always welcome here."

Link bowed. "It was an honor fighting you, as well. I thank you."

Li shook his head. "No, I thank you… for showing me true strength."

Link smiled and quickly headed north, leaving the village behind.

* * *

_**Author's Note(s)**_: Mmm... Quite irritating. I had this planned out for a while, but I didn't know how to go about writing it. As such, I think it seems a bit rushed. My girlfriend seems to like it, but I'd like your opinions, too.

Anyway, the next few chapters should be a bit easier to complete.


	6. Forest of Doubt

**_Author's Note(s)_**: Heh, I was to anxious to get this chapter done. Unlike the previous chapter, I do like this one quite a bit. And yes, I know that Link only just got into the forest in the previous chapter. I planned it out that way.

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda - The Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 6: Forest of Doubt**_

Link was able to find the forest entrance with ease. As stated by the Ordon woman, though, the entire area had overgrown. He had seen some of the former houses where the Kokiri used to live, but the trees that made up the houses had even grown back together, as well, forming tall trees that had grown out of the dead, hollow stumps that were formerly houses. He even saw his old house, too…

He shook the thoughts out of his head. It was best to avoid such matters. Instead, he continued on into the depths of the trees. The hillside leading up to the Lost Woods was also heavily overgrown, as well. The vines here were so thick now that even with his extra body weight, he could still easily climb up the vines without breaking them.

At last, Link arrived at the entrance to the Lost Woods. The giant, hollow log, separating the Kokiri village—well, the _former_ village of Kokiri, from the inner-most depths of the woods, was also now highly overgrown, as well, covering in thick vines and moss. Still, it was passable, and using his sword, he was able to cut his way through.

Strangely, the thick vines came down extremely easy. He had figured that it would take a few slices to cut through a single vine, but the sword slipped right through. These vines had grown wild for years and were unusually thick compared to what they normally would be, so it was a huge surprise seeing such a tiny blade sever through the enter path in seconds.

He pushed it aside, though, and instead decided to head on into the woods. Before, one could always hear the calm, soothing melody echoing through the woods, coming from the Sacred Forest Meadow, where Saria would sit down and play her favorite song. With Saria gone, now, though, everything was deathly silent.

Link made his way through the woods, using his apparently magical blade to cut through anything that may get in the way, in attempts to get through. The Lost Woods weren't known by that name for just any reason—it was indeed easy to get lost, here. These woods were linked to many places. If one got lost in the woods, never to escape, that person would become either a skull kid or a stalfos, neither of which are good occurrences.

On the other hand, sometimes, one could get lost and then end up somewhere else. He recalled times when he stepped into a passage and ended up in the Goron City on top of Death Mountain. Later, he had furthered deeper into the woods, where he ended up in an alternate world entirely—the land of Termina. That wasn't the most pleasant of trips, not due to ending up in an alternate world, but because of what happened during the process… Link shivered at the thought.

He did not know where to go from here. The Kokiri could have gone anywhere. They may not have even come through the Lost Woods. Stopping in the middle of one of the small clearings, he began to think. Well, what were some of the possibilities…?

…

A thought suddenly came to mind.

Link nodded his head. Yes, that was an ideal situation. Perhaps if he went to the Forest Temple in the Sacred Meadow, he could find a lead to the location of the Kokiri and of the Great Deku Tree. Deciding on a plan, he immediately set off for the Sacred Forest Meadow.

It didn't take long, and soon he found himself entering into the hedge maze right at the entrance. He didn't see anything around the entrance area, so he progressed into the maze and found it vacant. Taking this as a good sign, he moved his way through and ultimately found himself at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the temple area. Nothing seemed to be here, so Link simply raced up the steps to the meadow at the foot of the temple.

As expected, nothing was here. This was good. There was only one thing that should be here, but he knew where it… well, _she_, was, so this was a good thing. He moved forward towards the temple, a patch of vines now stretching down from the stairs to the ground, allowing him to climb up. He hadn't thought he'd need any of his equipment, so of course, he didn't have his hookshot with him, and his old one was left behind in the future. The vines insured that he would be able to get up to the temple entrance.

When he began to climb up, he suddenly heard a noise in the bushes behind him. Link let go and pulled out his blade, startled. Immediately afterwards, a small figure crawled out, crying. Wait, it was a Kokiri girl!

She seemed younger than most Kokiri, but she still wore the typical green tunic, the garb of the Kokiri. She had short pink hair, bright blue eyes, and brown sandals. The girl looked up at him, a curious expression on his face. Link couldn't help but find her to be so… so cute… And not the kind he saw Saria as, either… This was the innocent kind of cute, the one that made you go "Awwww…"

The girl sat down on the ground, finger to her mouth. "You won't… hurt me, will you…?" she asked.

Link gasped out, and then quickly realized that she was referring to his sword. He quickly sheathed it and shook his head. "No, sorry… You startled me; that's all."

The girl smiled, again, and jumped to her feet. "Yay!" she proclaimed.

Link eyed her, carefully. "Hmm… Well, what's your name?"

The girl put her hand in her mouth and muttered something softly. Link was only barely able to make it out. "Na-la," she stated.

He raised an eyebrow, thinking it over. At last, he shook his head. Nope, he didn't remember a girl by that name. This one was obviously new.

Link turned back to face her. "So… do you know what happened to the other Kokiri…?" he asked.

The girl took her hand out of her mouth, now, and stood up, nodding her head. "Mmhmm… Bad monsters were coming, so they had to move, or so said the Great Deku Tree. It happened about three years ago! It was scary!"

He turned his head to his side. "Monsters…?"

She nodded her head. "Yes, yes! The Great Deku Tree said that a dark power was at work!"

"So…" Link started. "The Great Deku Tree knew that this evil was coming across the land, so the Kokiri were forced to move deeper into the woods…?"

Nala jumped up and down, anxious. "Yes, yes, that's what I said!"

Link groaned. She may have looked a little cute, but she certainly was mighty annoying, too. "Okay, then. So, do you know where they went…?"

Nala nodded her head. "Yeah, but I can't say where…"

Now this was getting interesting. "Why not…?"

The girl started jumping up and down, again. "So the monsters can't get us!" she called out.

Link nodded his head. "Okay, then… So, why are you here…?"

Nala nodded her head. "Ah, well, the Great Deku Tree asked me to wait for one who would come here. He told me to leave yesterday, and someone would come today. Said it was important. I guess you are that someone, huh…?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Uh, yeah… I guess…" kneeling down, he continued. "What did he say?"

The girl nodded again. "Oh, he said something about a princess and a castle. I have no idea what that means, though. You're supposed to figure that out, I guess…"

Link rolled his eyes. _'Figures. I'm supposed to go to Hyrule Castle and talk to Princess Zelda. Yeah.'_

He stood up, again, and sighed. "Well, I guess I must be going, now. Thanks for the help. You can probably head back to the village."

Nala nodded her head. "Of course!"

Link headed back out of the forest, while Nala simply stood and watched. When Link disappeared, the girl crouched down together and a bright light erupted. In place of her was a small, pink fairy, the aura surrounding her making her actual body invisible to the naked eye. In reality, she looked much older than she had made herself appear to be.

Nala looked on, endlessly. "Good luck, Link…" she stated, softly.

_**XXXXX**_

After being gone merely a few hours, Link finally arrived back at the forest entrance. Much to his surprise, Melinda was standing right there. Apparently she had grown tired of standing in one place, so she decided to come and wait for him. Link smiled. "Ah, I see you're back. Ready to go?" he asked.

The horse grunted, moving its head a bit. Link could've sworn that it looked like she nodded, but he just passed it off.

Jumping onto her back, he immediately kicked his heels together beneath her and she darted off. He raised his sword, crying out. "To Hyrule Castl-woah!"

In mid-stride, Melinda came to an abrupt halt. Link, not expecting it, was flung off the horse, rolling down into the dirt.

Link stood up on his two feet, again, facing the horse. "What the heck is wrong with you?!" he demanded, stamping his foot on the ground.

Melinda turned and neighed loudly at him, then turned back toward the ground.

Link groaned. He marched over and grabbed onto the reins, pulling her back. She would not budge, though. Her head remained fixed on the ground. Link narrowed his eyes. He turned back, and then started glancing around in all direction. "Ugh, what am I going to do with you?!"

Dust flew up into the air. Link turned back to see what was going on, only to find out it was just Melinda stomping her feet on the ground. That wasn't what he was looking at, though. In fact, he barely paid any attention to it.

Link immediately collapsed to the ground, scouring over every detail on his hands and knees. Words had been scratched into the dirt—words with _meaning_.

He jumped to his feet and turned back to face her, now realizing what she was trying to tell him all along. "I… I'm sorry…" he stated. "I... H… How…?"

He turned back to the words again, reading them over. They said "I AM MALON."

The horse glared at him, giving him a look that spelled out "I was trying to tell you." Link did not want to think about it.


	7. Shocking Events

**The Legend of Zelda – The Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 7: Shocking Events**_

Link paced along the ground, thinking the situation over. Now he began to look at things along a different light, attempting to piece everything together. However, all he got was a heaping mass of confusion and nausea. At last, he stopped and turned to face the horse, which was now apparently Malon, sitting on the ground nearby. "Okay, then, so let me get this straight… You are actually Malon, turned into a horse?"

Malon nodded her head.

He sighed. "Alright, then, so… I got that down… I see that you can understand me, but you've never said a word. Its obvious now why you reacted that way back at the ranch—you recognized me, correct?"

She nodded, again.

Link nodded back. Now he began to walk around a bit more, turning his back to her for a bit, then turning back. "So… If you are Malon, and you recognize me, and you can understand me, as well, why don't you speak? Can you speak?"

This time, she shook her head, neighing out a bit. It didn't sound like a good one, either, so he guessed that she was irritated about that little aspect.

He nodded. "I see. Well, Ingo mentioned that your father, Talon, died about seven years—"

Malon gave off a sad cry, though obviously it sounded nothing like she would've if she was in her normal form.

Link lowered his head and sighed. "I'm sorry," he stated.

He took a step back and glanced around. "Hmm… I never was all that trusting of Ingo, due to something he did before, but then I lost further trust when Saria told me how you were still there about two years ago, while Ingo said you left after your father died. What I'm trying to say is…" he turned back to face her, again. "Did he have something do to with this?"

She jumped up and nodded, neighing loudly, but in a harsh, course tone. It was clear to him, now, that she was furious.

Link nodded, again. "Mmm, I see. It figures. How did he do it, though…? I remember how Ingo gained the favor of Ganon—oh, wait… Uh, nevermind… Ingo would've needed a source for the power, though. You may not be able to tell me anything, but can you give me a clue or hint of some sort…?"

She raised her head up and down, again, nodding. She backed away and raised her right, front leg up, scratching her hoof through the dirt. She brought it in a straight line, but angled to the left slightly, padding it down. She then brought it right, again in a straight line, and then returned it to the top. After this, she went to the bottom left of the figure, bringing her hoof up in an arc, until finally ending up at the opposite side of the bottom, forming a strange symbol.

Link walked over to her side, staring intently at the symbol. It seemed familiar, somehow, but he just couldn't picture it. It looked like… an upside down "U" inside a triangle. Wait a second…

_Sighing, mouth opening, trying to speak, but suddenly speechless… A beautiful girl flashed before his eyes. Two years younger than he; garments of fine, green silk. Eyes light green; hair pure white, as snow. A pendant, silver in color, triangular in shape, hung from her neck, a "U" inside._

"The pendant…" Link muttered under his breath.

Link nodded his head, realizing what this was, now. The pendant must have been some sort of magical item. Likely, there were actually two; the one Sheila has, and another somewhere else. Ingo put one on a horse, then gave the other to Malon as a gift, not knowing what it really was. The two then switched forms; the horse becoming human, and the human becoming a horse. Who was the other, though…?

He slapped his face. Well, _duh_! He turned back to Malon. "Is Sheila really a horse herself?" he asked.

Malon nodded her head, showing similar reactions to the comment as with Ingo, just not as fierce.

He sighed. "Hmm… It's sad, too… and she was so beautiful…"

Malon poked him in the side with her snout, grunting.

Link pushed her away. "Hey, hey, hey, I didn't say anything about you! You're beautiful, too!"

He sighed, again. "Most likely, she didn't have any say in this, just like you. It's not her fault that this happened. Ingo seems to order her around a lot, like she's his slave, despite calling her his 'niece.' She only obeys him because she doesn't want to have to return to her old life. Unfortunately, in order to set things right, we will have to do just that."

Malon now lowered her head, a sad look on her face. Link guessed that she never thought of it that way, before.

Link shook his head, rubbing her mane. "Hey, hey, don't feel that way! You didn't have a choice in the matter, either. We have to set things right. We must get Sheila to understand that, as well."

The horse let off a light breath of air, almost like a sigh. She nodded her head once again. She herself wanted to be back to normal, but at the same time, she didn't want to hurt another in the process…

A flash of white revealed itself in the clouds above. Suddenly, a loud boom echoed across the field, startling both of them. Malon let out a neigh, though she wished she could do something else.

Link groaned. "Great… just great!" he proclaimed, irritated.

Lightning flashed, thunder roared, rain fell… He wasn't paying attention to the weather, before, but apparently it was just the time for a thunderstorm. The day had been spent, already, and now it was darkening, furthered quicker by the ominous clouds overhead. Rain water rapidly poured down from the sky, and now, Link was already drenched.

He gripped onto the reins of the horse, nodding his head. "We have to get to the castle, _now_. Are you willing? I want to restore you as soon as possible, but we can't do anything just yet."

Malon nodded her head, understanding.

Link nodded and smiled. He pulled himself up onto her back, and then leaned forward, whispering into her ear. "Let's get going," he stated.

She immediately rode swiftly onward, racing through the grass and mud. The rains kept beating down harder and harder, but she did not falter. A small hillside came, but she managed to climb it without slipping on the softened ground.

In the distance, Hyrule Castle appeared at the far end of the field. It revealed its majestic glory, even from such a distance. The gates would be closing soon. They had so far to go in so little time.

Thunder roared outside. A guard stood watch as another soldier came along through the bitter rains. The first looked to the other, nodding his head. "That time already?" he asked.

The second nodded. "Yep, it seems so," he proclaimed.

The first nodded back. "Mmm, I see. Our guest hasn't arrived yet, though. She said he'd be here by now. Should we wait longer?"

The second shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not one to deny authority, but how did she know that this man would be coming? I haven't seen anyone, anyway, and it is already well past time."

The first sighed. "Well, let's get this over with, then. He's not here, so she'll just have to deal."

The second stared blankly. "You would deny the authority of the queen herself?!"

The first snarled back. "If it gets me out of this blasted rain, I'll do anything!"

The second shrugged his shoulders, again. "Whatever you say," he stated.

They went into the separate sides of the gate and each reached for the winch that pulled the two sides of the drawbridge up in order to keep the night monsters from coming in. They turned and turned, pulling the gate closed.

When the bridge was nearly halfway up off the ground, a figure rode swiftly down towards it, coming at a fast pace. The two soldiers watched through small windows in the inner sanctums of the gate, stunned beyond all belief. As the drawbridge continued to rise, the figure raced up and the horse jumped from the ground up and over the closing bridge. The horse and rider landed firmly onto the wooden bridge, then promptly pushed itself off and onto solid ground as the gate shut tightly behind them.

The two guards quickly ducked out of their stations inside and into the rain, seeing the rider safe from harm. Both were utterly speechless.

The rider chuckled. "Heh, you've never seen someone do such a thing, before?" he asked, slyly.

The two looked at each other, giving the other a strange expression. Then, they nodded their heads and stepped out, overlooking the rider. The first raised his fist up to his mouth and cleared his throat. "Ahem, may I ask your name, sir?"

The rider nodded. "Link," he stated.

The second turned to the first; both nodding, again. He turned to face Link. "Ah, I see. So, you came after all. We didn't think you'd actually show up."

Link raised an eyebrow. "Wait… how'd you know I was coming?"

The first shrugged his shoulder. "We didn't. It is by order of the queen herself that we were told to look out for you. In fact, she specifically stated that you would arrive just when night came, and so it seems that she was correct. She has requested an audience with you."

Link was stunned. He dismounted the horse, looking over the two of them. "O-kay… So since when have I been in the favor of the queen?"

The first soldier shrugged his shoulders once again. "I have no idea! Why don't you ask her?" he nodded his head and motioned for the town. "This way, if you will…"

Link nodded, holding onto the reins of the horse. "Of course," he stated, starting to move forward.

The second guard shook his head and walked over. "I'll take care of your horse and make sure he gets suitable—"

"She," Link corrected.

The main lowered his head, slightly irritated. "She," he said, correcting himself. "I shall take care of your horse and make sure that _she_ gets suitable lodgings. The inn has stables for travelers. You will find her, there. You may also stay at the inn for free, by order of the queen."

Link lowered his head. "Thank you for your hospitality…" he stated.

There was a pause, but then Link immediately swung out his sword, placing it next to the guard's neck as he guard reached for the horse's reins. The other guard removed his sword, too, but did not strike. "Don't you dare hurt her in any way, or you'll have hell to pay!"

The guard nodded and raised his hand to the second guard, telling him to lower his weapon. "Agreed," he stated.

Link held the weapon there for a bit, but then quickly retracted the blade; sheathing it once again. He turned to the other guard and nodded his head. "Let's go," he proclaimed.


	8. Royal Reunion

**Author's Note(s)**: Oo Ah, damnit! So I forgot the last Chapter on this fic, as well?! I THOUGHT I already uploaded the damn thing! Oh well... Well, I've got all the way to Chapter 8, now, as you can see, and Chapter 9 is coming. Sorry about the delay, guys...

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**The Legend of Zelda: The Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 8: Royal Reunion**_

Link followed the guard through the street that led directly into the heart of the Hyrule Castle Town. The town had grown exponentially, and was still growing. Currently, no one was out, but it was obvious why—it was still raining, and quite hard, too. Link was soaked to his skin.

The town square looked mostly the same, though it too had expanded. It now seemed quite larger. A fountain was directly in the center, that being a new addition. Buildings all around were snug tightly up against one another with barely any room in between, if any.

Here, two additional streets went to the east and the west, as before. Now, though, there seemed to be a gate directly at the end of each. Of course, there were also the alleys that came down around the buildings which he had seen on his way in. The other guard had taken Malon up the west alley where there were some stables next to the inn. Hopefully, after this was settled, he could head back to Lon Lon Ranch and take care of that mess. Until then, she would just have to deal with the situation a little longer.

The guard went straight up the front road, unsurprising to Link, for he knew where this one led to. The road was quite wide compared to the others, and ahead, a large stone gate, with two doors that pulled open, was clearly visible. Over the top of the gate, Link could see tall towers that illuminated the sky. This was quite clearly Hyrule Castle.

Two guards at the gate waited for their arrival, at which point the guard that took Link walked up to them and began saying something, which Link could not hear. At last they separated and the two guards that watched over the gate into the castle grounds went back and pulled the doors open. Link's guard then took him straight ahead through the courtyard and into the depths of the castle.

A maid greeted them as they entered, bowing in front of the guard. "Her majesty is waiting," she proclaimed.

The guard nodded. "This way," he stated.

Link had only seen the inside of the castle once. Tall chandeliers hung from high up. A second floor was up a ways around the edge of the foyer area that led into other rooms deeper into the castle. Passages to the left and to the right were also visible, these of course leading to back hallways and other rooms. Toward the front-most wall, on either side of the large stairs, were passages directly to stairs leading to the second floor, though the entrance into these were actually below the balcony that consisted of this upper area.

At the top of the stairs directly ahead of where they now stood was a large twin door, which was actually level with the balcony around the foyer. On the left door, towards the bottom on the right side of it, there was a large triangle. This was paralleled on the right door, except with the triangle on the left side this time. Just above each triangle was a half triangle which was also mirrored on the opposing door. When both doors were closed, as they were now, together the symbols formed a large Triforce.

The guard led Link up the stairs to the large golden doors. Two other soldiers guarding the throne room promptly pulled the doors open and Link was directed inside. The guard walked forward along the red carpet and bowed at the bottom of a set of steps ahead. "I have brought him, Your Majesty," he stated.

The queen looked down from her throne and nodded. "You have done well. You may leave, now," she proclaimed.

Link turned and watched the guard head back out of the room. The doors closed behind him. "I see that you are well," the same voice echoed through the chamber.

He spun back around and at last set his eyes on the Queen of Hyrule. Link gasped. "Zelda?!"

Indeed, it was Princess Zelda, though notably much older now. She wore the same dress he remembered her wearing when he had visited the future where Gannondorf reined over Hyrule. However, she was even older still, for at least then she was still merely the princess of Hyrule.

Zelda stood up, nodding her head. "Indeed. I have been waiting for you. You've been gone long, and have aged at a lesser rate than we have, yet you have returned, just as had been foretold."

Link narrowed his eyes. "Just what in the world is going on here?! I've heard that an evil power is lurking here, but I haven't seen anything!"

Zelda stepped down the stairs, eyes dead set on Link. "Oh, but you have. Dark powers are at work, here. You've already met the one responsible. You've also learned about the influence she has had on the world, not only in Hyrule, but also in lands beyond the forests that border our land. Among the first influences she has had came to Lon Lon Ranch. You've seen the effects, have you not? You know what she is capable of."

Link gasped out. "Wait, so _she_ was responsible for what happened to the ranch?! What happened to Malon?!"

Zelda nodded. "Indeed. Ingo was tempted by greed, just as you remember from before."

He narrowed his eyes, again. "W-wait a minute, how'd you know about that?! I'm the only one who—"

Zelda shook her head. "No, you are not. You aren't the only one who knows. The power of the sages is strong."

Link groaned, scratching his head with his hand. "Okay, then, so just what is going on around here? Who is _she_, anyway?! How much else of an influence has she had already?!"

Zelda nodded. "In time, you will learn. There is more I shall tell you, later, but for now, you need some rest. Meet with me tomorrow morning in my chambers. Then I will tell you all I know." Zelda began to turn and walk away, but then stopped. "Feel free to look around the castle. I know that last time you were here you couldn't stay long. Lastly, if you are in need of food, please go to the dining hall and eat. You will need all that you can for the journey ahead of you."

Link raised an eyebrow. "J-journey?!"

Zelda did not hear him, though, or if she did, then she simply ignored his statement. Instead, she walked to a door on the right side of the room, apparently her personal bedroom. Opposite to her room must have been the king's bedroom.

She reached over and placed her hand on the door, but then suddenly stopped. She turned to look at him. "Meet me here tomorrow. All will be explained," she stated. At last she opened the door, entered into the room, and closed the door behind her.

Link groaned, calling out. "H-hey, wait! You can't just leave me sitting here?! What am I supposed to do?!"

The door opened behind him and a maid entered. "Mr. Link, I presume?" she asked.

Link sighed. "Please, just call me 'Link.'"

The maid nodded. "You are to rest for the night. I have prepared a room for you. Feel free to do whatever you like until you are ready."

Link nodded, reluctantly. "Fine," he stated. _'This certainly wasn't what I had in mind….'_ he thought to himself.

The castle was just as glamorous as he always imagined. Floors, walls, and pillars were made of fine marble, well-built in its architecture and quite magnificent to look at. As he had expected, there were numerous hallways and passages leading to a number of different rooms. He could have headed straight to the dining hall and then to bed, but instead he decided it would be best to simply take this opportunity to explore, as he did have a mostly free leverage to move about the castle as he pleased.

Link began to head into the western-most doorway on the first floor, which was now to his right upon leaving the throne room. As he recalled, the maid mentioned that the guest rooms were directly above this hall on the second floor. The rooms on this floor were for members of the royal family and others of great importance. The dining hall, on the other hand, was on the opposite side of the castle, and was directly down a short hallway. In order to reach the back of the castle from that side, you had to first go through the dining hall.

There wasn't much of interest here, save for the architecture and also pictures that lined the walls. Instead, he just decided to traverse this hall and move to the back of the castle, where there was a staircase that led down into the lower levels, containing a cellar and also a prison. He didn't think there would be mu8ch of interest down there, either, but he just wanted to check it out, anyway.

As he made his way down the hallway and was about to turn the corner to the back side of the castle, he suddenly heard voices to his left. He decided to simply ignore it, not wanting to peep in on another's conversation, but then something came up… For a while it was only a single voice, clearly female, but another suddenly spoke up, this one deeper and gruff.

"…why do you ask?" the dark one stated.

'_Wait…. Did I walk in to the middle of a conversation?'_ he asked himself.

He wanted to leave, but he was caught up in all this, now. Plus, the other one now spoke up, saying… "I don't find peace in the idea of someone sneaking into my room. So, can you PLEASE tell me what you are doing here?!"

The other did not respond. The lighter voice gasped out. He heard a bit of movement, and then suddenly, the door to the room swung open, hitting Link in the face. Link stumbled back a bit, surprised. He thought he heard someone gasping, but he was too concentrated on holding his throbbing head to think about anything else… "What in the world…?!"

"I can ask you the same question!" the girl proclaimed. "What are you doing eavesdropping on me?!" she demanded.

Link sighed, turning back to face her. "Listen, I'm sorry, I…" Suddenly, though, he stopped.

The girl stared at him, hissing. "Sorry about what?! You BETTER have a good explanation or you'll hear from my mother about this!"

Link narrowed his eyes. _'No way, it... It couldn't be…'_ he thought to himself.

She raised an eyebrow. "What? Something wrong with my face?" she commented, sarcastically, notably irritated.

Link suddenly shook it off. "Er, no, it's nothing…" he stated.

The girl rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right, so it's nothing. Then why'd you make such a big deal over it, huh?!"

Link sighed. "Ugh, well, it's just that… Well, you remind me of someone I knew a long time ago, when she was only your age, but she's a lot older, now."

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. She blinked, surprised. "W-wait a minute… You wouldn't happen to be Link, would you?" she asked.

Now it was Link's turn to be surprised. He stumbled back. "Y-yes…" he regained his composure, but was still stunned. "H… how'd you know my name?!"

The girl was equally stunned. "Well, that explains it, but… I figured you'd be older!"

Link raised an eyebrow. "O-kay… so just _how_ do you know who I am?"

She chuckled a bit. "Oh, my mother told me. She told many strange things that I never really understood. Ironically, I still generally believe everything she has said."

Now he was even more confused. "Uh, right… If that's the case, then who is your mother…? I don't remember being friends with someone with a d—"

"Zelda Raugmina Hyrule the Thirty-Second," she proclaimed, boldly.

Link blinked, again, even more surprised. "O-kay… So, Zelda had a daughter…? She never mentioned anything like it... What's this about "Thirty-Second," as well?! Where'd THAT come from?!"

The girl giggled, now quite amused. "Oh, silly, you've never heard of the legend? It is told that, long, long ago, the Princess of Hyrule, named Zelda, had died due to some unknown cause, and her brother, the prince, proclaimed that 'From this day forth, every first born daughter of Hyrule shall be called "Zelda."' That's how the story goes."

Link blinked, again. "So, wait… Then that makes you…."

"Princess Zelda Raugmina Hyrule the Thirty-_Third_. Please, though, Princess Zelda is fine," she proclaimed, boldly.

Link raised an eyebrow. "Er, can't I just call you 'Zelda'?" he asked.

Zelda hissed, slapping him across the face, much to his surprise. "Absolutely _not_!" she proclaimed. "First, it would be too confusing between my mother and me, and second, after what you did, you shall refer to me by my full title!"

Link chucked. "Alright, then, Princess Zelda Raugmina—"

She hissed again, notably irritated. "Y… you know what I mean! My full_title_, not my full_name_!" she began to grumble under her breath about something, but Link was laughing too hard to make out what she was saying.

At last, Zelda put her foot down. "Enough! Please, you have insulted me well enough already. You can leave any time you like. I'm going back into my room… _**And I BETTER not find you eavesdropping on me, again!**_"

Link chuckled and began to walk away. "Oh, I'm done. I just wanted a few extra laughs," he stated. He turned away, but the suddenly stopped, not turning around. "Oh, and one last thing…" Now at last he turned back to face her. "Who was it you were talking to, anyway? I heard two voices in the room, yet only one came out."

Zelda groaned, slapping her face across her forehead. "What, now you're sticking your nose where it doesn't belong?! What I was doing is none of your concern! Oh, and FYI, that was simply me, playing with my dolls." She paused for a moment, but then spoke up, this time in the other, gruff voice Link heard. "You see, I was merely shifting the tone of my voice when necessary," she stated.

Link shrugged his shoulders, waving it off. "'Eh, whatever. What's a girl your age doing playing with dolls, anyway?"

She sighed. "Well, it's not like I've got anything else to do! I'm always cooped up around here in this dingy old castle…"

Link lowered his head. "I… I'm sorry," he stated. Strangely, this time, he meant it.

She groaned, swinging her arm out, clearly irritated. "Just get lost!" she demanded.

He sighed, throwing his arms out in defense. "Alright, fine, then. Bye."

She watched Link leave then quickly headed back to her room, shutting the door behind her. She looked to the floor where, sure enough, there were a few dolls sitting down there. "You're back," a deep, gruff voice proclaimed.

She quickly spun around to where the small, open window was above the bed. A figure, about her size, but dressed in purple garbs and white cloth wrapped around certain body parts, resembling a mummy of sorts, sat in the windowsill, looking down upon her.

Zelda growled. "What'd you do that for?! I had to cover up the mess _you_ left me with!" she proclaimed.

The character chuckled a bit. "Ooh, eccentric, aren't we?"

She hissed. "Ohhhhhh….. Why, you…."

The figure jumped down from the window, looking over and Zelda. "So, you want to know why I'm here, correct?"

She nodded, trying to hold back her frustrations.

The mystery person nodded, crossing his arms. "I am Sheik. My business is my own, for now… I have been sent to, well, look after you, it seems. Your mother knows what is to come, and therefore, she has kept you locked in this castle for your life. I know, though, that it is foolhardy. No matter where you go, you can never be safe."

Zelda backed away, stunned. "Wh-what…?! H…how do you know all this?! What's going on?!"

Sheik shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't disclose that right now. You will learn, though. Think of me as… Well, your bodyguard."

Zelda narrowed her eyes. "I don't NEED help! I'm perfectly capable of keeping myself safe!"

Sheik chuckled a bit. "Mmm, indeed, you handle yourself quite well."

She hissed. "Are you mocking me?!"

He chuckled. "Bye for now," he proclaimed. Suddenly, he slammed something into the ground. Zelda was blinded by a bright light. It quickly dissipated, though. She looked around, but Sheik was nowhere to be found.


	9. Time's Treachery

**Author's Note(s)**: Little longer than the past few chapters. Nope, I'm not dead, just suffering some Writer's Block. It was mainly just a single piece of dialogue that was bothering me, though, so I finally dropped a segment and rewrote it all-together (not the whole chapter, mind you, just that segment), and then finished it, as well. Some bits of my own personal speculations abroad, while other stuff is simply related to this fic in general. Yes, there's also the King, too, but he's mainly got a minor role. Relm, on the other hand, will play a pretty large role later on...

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**The Legend of Zelda: The Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 9: Time's Treachery**_

Link sighed. _'Well, then, are you ready for this?'_ he asked himself. _'Well, you'd BETTER be ready, because here goes nothing…'_ At last, he opened the door, overcoming all fears.

Sitting on a finely-crafted chair at a table in the middle of the room was Zelda, the same Zelda he remembered as a little girl, now grown and wise. She sat with her legs underneath the table and her hands clasped together. She was looking directly at _him_. "So, you have come," she stated.

Link rolled his eyes, tapping his foot on the ground. "Well, it wasn't like I'd refuse the request of the prince—er, uh, queen…"

Zelda chuckled. "Yes, you find it strange, do you not? Why don't you sit here and explain…"

Link groaned, placing his hand on his face. "I thought you _knew_ everything!"

Zelda shook her head. "No, that is a false assumption. I do not know everything. Even then, even if I did, perhaps I simply want you to explain it for yourself. Is that so hard to ask?"

He sighed, again. "Heh, I don't know…"

Zelda motioned to the chair in front of her. "Please, sit; though do close the door before you enter. This shall be a private conversation."

Not knowing what else to do, Link decided that his best bet would be to take her advice. He closed the door and sat in the chair across from her, facing her directly. It felt awkward realizing how young he was now compared to her, when before they were both the exact same age.

"So then, what happened after you left? You do not have to detail everything; be brief and to the point," she stated.

Link sighed, but then reluctantly nodded. "Well, it's rather hard to explain… From what I can gather, after about a week of traveling through the woods with no such luck, I was attacked and lost all my equipment save for my sword, which fell at my side. I even lost the Ocarina of Time, which was stolen by the imp that attacked me. I chased him down, but then something strange happened and I ended up in an unusual place. Later I found out that this was apparently a completely different dimension; alternate to our own. Here I did something to save the people of this place from near-destruction, and then I decided to try and find my way back to Hyrule. However, with no such luck, I decided to return to this land, which I do believe was called 'Termina,' and I decided to work as a ranch hand for a while. I didn't intend on staying long, but I ended up staying for six years. Then I was sent on an errand, at which point I decided to take a shortcut through these woods. On the way, though, I was attacked by a mysterious woman, losing miserably. Then I was approached by three figures. It was then that I realized I was back in Hyrule, again."

Zelda clasped her hands together once again, lowering her head. "Hmm… That is indeed a disturbing tale. It would be difficult to believe for the common person. However, I have seen enough strange and unusual things in my lifetime, so your story does not seem so unbelievable to me. Indeed, your coming has been foretold. I knew of the day, the hour, and even the exact manner. The how, though, is what I did not know. Now you have told me how it happened."

Link raised an eyebrow. Something didn't seem right here. "W-wait a second… 'Foretold'? My misery has been FORETOLD?!"

Zelda chuckles a bit to herself. She raises her head slightly, peering up at him. "You misunderstand me," she proclaimed. "Just who am I…?"

Link blinked. Such a strange question. Why would she say such a thing?! "You are Queen Zelda of Hyrule, Thirty-Second of that name."

Zelda shook her head. "No. Once again, you misunderstand me. WHO am I, WHAT am I?"

He lowered his head, twiddling with his fingers on the table. What could she mean?! "You're the Queen of Hyrule. You are the former Princess of Hyrule. You are the last of seven sages. You are the bearer of—"

"What did you just say?" she asked.

Link narrowed his eyes. "You are one of the seven—"

Zelda smiled, nodding her head. "Correct. WHICH one?"

He stumbled back a bit, surprised by the odd question. "I, er…"

"Each of the seven sages has an opposite. Between the life-filled forest and the death-filled sands, between the darkest mists and the strongest of lights, and between the fiery hills and the cool waters, there are contradictions. There is one, though, that is unique from the rest…"

Link began to open his mouth, but she interrupted him before he could. "There are six temples in the land of Hyrule, and the seventh exists only in the Sacred Realm, the Temple of Light. You have been to all seven at least once during your travels. So, just who is the final sage?"

Still, he found only confusion and chaos. What in the world was she talking about?! Saria was the Forest Sage, Ruto the Water Sage, Darunia the Fire Sage, Impa the Shadow Sage, Nabooru the Spirit Sage, and Rauru the Light Sage. The Forest Temple, the Water Temple, the Fire Temple, the Shadow Temple, the Spirit Temple, and the Temple of Light. The final sage, Zelda, governed over…

"I am the Sage of Time," she proclaimed. "I have foreseen your return. I understood the who, the when, the where, the what, and the why. I knew of your future expedition because I was linked to my own future self, who had witnessed everything. I was the one who bestowed upon you the Ocarina of Time and the key to unlocking the Door of Time, the Song of Time. I sensed Gannondorf's evil ways and sought to stop it. Now, I sit here before you, telling you what has happened, and knowing what is to come."

Link blinked; mouth agape. "I, uh…"

Zelda chuckled a bit. "What, you do not believe me?" she asked.

Link raised an eyebrow, but then quickly shook his head. "Er, no, it's not that, it's just…"

"Surprising?" she interrupted.

Link blinked, again. "Uh… Er, yeah… Something like that…"

She chuckled, again. "I see," she stated.

At last, Link snapped himself back together. He turned back to face her, something clearly on his mind. "Hmm… Well, alright, then, I understand what you told me, but there's something that's still bothering me…"

Zelda eyed him, curiously, hands still folded together on the table. "Yes…? What may that be…?"

Link lowered his head, but then simply nodded. "If you know the future, then do you know what is going to happen in the next few weeks to come…?" he asked.

Zelda lowered her head and closed her eyes, sighing. This would not come easily. "Well, to put it simply…" she opened her eyes, again. "Yes," she stated.

Link narrowed his eyes. "Mmm… So, you know who this woman is, this… This 'Sorceress.' You know what she is planning. You know what I am to do."

Zelda sighed, again, but reluctantly nodded her head. "Y-yes…. I do…."

He turned to face her, understanding that something was wrong. "What is it…? What happens?!" he demanded. She did not answer, though. At last, he leans over the table. "Damnit, answer me!"

Zelda stared, blankly, not saying anything. At last, though, she shook her head. "I cannot tell you. You must learn for yourself what is to come. I may only guide you along the way."

Link sighed. He sat back, collapsing into the chair. "Mmm…. I…. I'm sorry…"

Zelda shook her head. "No, it is fine. I understand how hard it must be for you, but you can't let that get to you. You still have lots of work to do."

Link nodded. "Yes, indeed… So, what should I do, first?"

Zelda nodded her head in reply. "You will know as you leave the castle. Your next objective will be revealed, then. I cannot say anymore or any less at this moment."

He sighed. "Well, then, I guess I have no choice, do I?"

Link began to stand up and leave. He went over and opened the door, but suddenly, he felt a hand touch his arm. It was cool. He turned back, seeing Zelda there, an object in her right hand. "Here, you might need this."

He surveyed the object, curiously. It was round and a deep orange color. An unusual symbol was on the center. He could not determine what it was. He turned back to face her. "What is this…?" he asked.

Zelda nodded. "It is a medallion. You have seen such things before, have you not?"

Link blinked, turning to the medallion, then to Zelda. "W-wait… THAT kind of Medallion?!"

She nodded, again. "Yes, one and the same. We sages hold these as the key to our power. So long as you have a medallion of a sage on hand, you can call the aid of he or she even from a remote location. I hope you do not need to use this, but take it, anyway."

Link was looking over the medallion, but with her last statement, he suddenly raised an eyebrow. "Wait, what?! I thought you _knew_ what was going to happen?!" he asked, stunned.

Zelda shook her head. "No, once again, you misunderstand me. I do not know everything that happens. I only learn bits and pieces. My hope is that you will not need my power, but keep it with you, anyway."

Link sighed, but nodded his head. "Alright, then, I'll treasure it. It will never leave my sight."

He began to leave, opening the door, but then turned back, once again. "Thank you," he stated.

Zelda nodded her head. "Good luck," she said. _'You're going to need all the luck you can get.'_

Link made his way back out of the castle through the front door. The morning sun shone brightly in the sky, showing no signs of last night's storm. Now Link was able to see the gardens and courtyards around much clearer than before. Something he did not notice the night before was that the small stream in front of the castle seemed to have disappeared. However, looking further onward, he could see that it had been redirected through the gardens and out of the castle walls, likely leading down into a sewer of sorts. There was another on the opposite side of the main path he stood, this one starting from around the side of the castle and leading beneath it.

"Ah, so you are Link, I see," a voice stated from behind.

Link spun around to see a tall man wearing fine red garments edged with white cotton. He wore a crown on his head, much to Link's surprise. He blinked. "Who are you…?" he asked.

The man laughed. "Oh, you are a fine young lad! If what she said is true, then you've been gone for some time, 'eh? Things look different to you? Do not worry, I am well aware of the deep magic that exists within this land, and I have heard of your tale. You knew my queen when she was only a young girl, correct?"

Now that startled him even more. "W-wait, Queen?! Doesn't that make you…?"

"King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule!" he proclaimed boldly. "In truth, I come from the land of Masa to the east, a country covered mostly in mountains and forests. Upon becoming the King of Hyrule, I inherited that name."

Link nodded. "Mmm, I see."

King Daphnes nodded, as well. "Well, of course! It's merely a simple matter of knowing where I belong. My elder brother, Dane, is the current king of Masa. When the young Princess Zelda came to our lands, we immediately fell in love, and I came here to become King of Hyrule, ensuring a lasting peace between our two lands. Regardless, despite my title, I mainly act as a diplomat. My dear queen, Zelda, takes care of most national affairs, as she knows the country better than I."

"Well, then, you two seem to have it all worked out," Link commented. "I pray that things stay as they are, though with the dark influence that has befallen this world, I fear the worst."

The king nodded, again. "I concur. We will do our best to keep things from getting out of hand. You must do your part and aid us in trying to quench this evil power lurking in these lands."

Link chuckled. "That's my job."

"Indeed!" Daphnes proclaimed. "Alas, now I must be off. It was good talking with you, Hero of Time."

Link blinked, stunned. "Y-yes, Your Majesty."

The king bowed his head and then turned back, entering into the castle once again.

Link simply stared blankly, not saying a word. _'He said that he knew of the power in this land, but… He truly believes that I am indeed the Hero of Time? Either he believes everything Zelda says because of his love for her, or he has no choice but to believe because of the things that he has seen. It seems that there's still a lot I don't know… But I must uncover it!'_

Settled now, Link decided it would be best to go. He turned and started to head back to the front gate. Suddenly, he heard a cry coming from his right, following by the rustle of leaves. He raised an eyebrow, surprised. He spun in the direction of the noise, eying the area carefully.

…

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He could tell that something was there, though… an unseen presence. A patch of bushes beneath an open window began rustling, again. Turning to the window, he saw a pair of eyes peaking out. _'Isn't that the princess?!'_ he asked himself.

The figure gasped then disappeared from sight, the window closing immediately. As his eyes were turned away, a figure quickly darted from the bushes and into the gardens. Link groaned.

He raced on ahead, attempting to catch the person, running as fast as his legs could take him. He was swift, but this person was swift as well. Though some things had changed, one of the things that did not change much was the gardens. Hedges, bushes, and pillars blocked paths, creating a twisting maze. Some guards were about and were also surprised by Link being there in the gardens, but unlike last time, they did not bother giving chase.

As Link weaved in and out through the paths, he kept seeing a brief glimpse of the intruder, but he was always one step behind. When he finally caught sight of him… her… it… he, or she, or it… whatever the person was… had already passed around the corner and out of sight. 'He' was definitely slowed down, but Link still was unable to keep up very well. Regardless, he did not mind. Link knew what was coming up.

Link darted around a bush then quickly raced right and around a fountain. The person kept up his own evasion, but kept on going in the direction that Link wanted him to go. It was only a matter of time, now… There were more hedges ahead, and then a wall turning right. The castle gardens had expanded to both sides of the castle, now, but as Link had guessed, both sides were identical, except in reverse direction.

The figure lurched left and around the corner. Link raced around and finally caught sight of the person he was trying to catch. It was a dead end. A small garden was all that was here, surrounded by a shallow canal of water all around. A couple steps near the end went above the pool and looked directly into the throne room.

Link smiled. "Got you!"

A muffled groan echoed out, then the figure turned around, hands in the air. "Alright, you win," a voice stated, still in a deep, muffled voice.

Link chuckled. "Oh, so it was you all along, Zelda! Figures! I know that your mother couldn't fit into those garments anymore, but surely the princess of Hyrule could!"

'Zelda' shook 'her' head, and then spoke again, still in a muffled tone, chuckling a bit. "Hehe… The name's Sheik… I don't know how you could possibly mistake me for the Princess of Hyrule, you moron."

Link rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, so I've heard. Your mother did the same thing, once… Disguising herself as a Sheikah, ironically named 'Sheik.' She couldn't think of a better, more original name, could she?" _'Then again, I fell for it all the way…'_

'Sheik' shook his head. "Right… How do you even know my mother?!"

He groaned, slapping his hand across his face. "Alright, then… How could I possibly run into someone so dense?! I had enough of your hot head back in the castle and now you're playing games with me?! You can't fool me!"

Sheik growled. He darted forward, grabbing Link by his shirt. "How DARE you call me a hot head?!" He demanded.

Unfortunately, that was exactly what Link had wanted. By making this 'Sheik' angry, he revealed something that 'he' managed to avoid before—revealing _her_ true voice.

Link chuckled, sticking his left hand forward, grabbing the blue garments by the collar and then proceeding to pull the hood and wrappings off. Long hair flowed out. He looked into deep, blue eyes. The girl whom has disguised herself as 'Sheik' didn't look to happy.

Suddenly, she backflipped and kicked Link away. Link himself was quite agile and easily regained his footing, while the girl gracefully landed on the ground. "So I was right, then, _Zelda_!"

The girl raised an eyebrow; she herself paused in a fighting stance, ready to jump at any moment. This comment surprised her. "Okay, so you got me on one part, but I can assure you that I am _not_ Princess Zelda! I bear no relation to her whatsoever. No matter what you try to concept, I will deny it all the way."

Link shook his head, but then stopped. He looked her over again… Now that he thought about it some more, she definitely didn't look like Zelda. Zelda's hair was longer and thicker. Her hair was also deep blonde, whereas this girl had a more brownish color. Their faces were very much alike, but Zelda's nose and ears were shorter. This girl also seemed a lot more muscular, and, though Link wouldn't dare admit such a thing in front of either of them, more slender.

He blinked in surprise, suddenly resting himself at ease. "W-wait, but… I… You…"

"The name's Relm," she stated. "That's all you'll get out of me, though. I'm gone."

Link began to open his mouth, but then Relm raised a small object in her left hand. She slammed it into the ground and a blinding flash erupted, forcing Link to cover his eyes with his hands. "A deku nut?!"

A few seconds later, the light dissipated… Relm was gone, and so were the hood and wrappings that Link had pulled off her. He stared blankly, stunned. _'Just what was that all about?!'_ he asked himself.


	10. Fiery Awakening

**The Legend of Zelda: The Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 10: Fiery Awakening**_

_So hot… The storm must've ending and now the sun has come out… These blankets are getting stuffy…_

_Mmm… Is something burning…? Ah, it must still BE raining and so the fireplace has been lit to warm the guests. Yes, that must be it! …unless…_

She suddenly sat straight up, gasping out. "What in the world?!"

Flames lashed about in the ceiling and through the walls. The sight out through the window wasn't much better. Nearby buildings were scorched in flames as soldiers on horseback rode through the city streets. The royal guard of Hyrule also fought back with mighty forces, but quenching the flames and fighting off the enemy were two different things.

Saria did what she knew best to do. She quickly rolled out of the bed and made her way out, attempting to stay as low to the ground as she possibly could. On the way, she reached up and grabbed her quiver and bow off the end table, also not forgetting her cloak, either. Moving on ahead, she went up and felt the door. Though it was warm, her hand was not scorched, so she quickly turned the knob and kicked it open. A flaming log fell down from above, but other than that, the area immediately outside the room seemed alright.

She leaped over the flames and quickly made her way down the hall. Most others seemed to have gone, but some came out of nearby rooms, as well. She quickly made her way down the stairs, avoiding fallen wooden boards and logs from the ceiling and walls that had been set ablaze.

The main floor, on the other hand, was a mess. It seems that the fires had been started here, hence how she was able to sleep through much of the early parts. The entire front entrance had collapsed in upon itself. Smoke rose to the ceiling; toxic fumes filling the air. The good news, though, was that the fire appeared to have spread upward more than it did outward; there was a nice path to the path halls which was still open. The flames were fast approaching, though.

Once again, Saria leaned towards the ground, attempting to stay clear of the smoke above. She rapidly pushed her way forward, making it around the front desk and to the back. A figure stood ahead, pointing the way towards the exit. "This way!" he cried out.

Saria nodded and quickly moved in that direction. More fires were back here, as well as smoke, but it wasn't nearly as numerous. This room seemed to be the dining hall. Four large tables were in the room, each seating five. The kitchen area was straight ahead through a door. She made her way onward and saw the exit nearby. It figured that the back exit would be through the kitchen…

As she stepped in, a pile of flaming debris suddenly fell from above. What's worse, though, is that she thought she saw a fiery figure within that pile. She gasped out and backed away. "Oh no…" she muttered softly.

She lowered her head and closed her eyes, saying a quick prayer, and then quickly turned back to try and find another way. A few people came in behind her, and now the man that directed her here seemed to be heading this way, at well. A couple others, clearly workers here, also came through, seeming to find that everyone left had already either gotten out or had died trying.

The fires continued to spread inward and the survivors found themselves searching around frantically for a way through. One of the workers pointed to the far corner, to the left of where Saria now stood, but to the right of where they had first came in. "There is another path around there. Let's hurry!"

Saria nodded. "Yes, of course," she stated in reply.

The civilians rushed toward the path and Saria followed behind, with the workers in tow. A door opened up into a storeroom, but there was yet another path to the left which went back into the kitchen, again. The door was just to the right as they entered into the kitchen area and it was wide open. Everyone rushed out into the back alley and Saria simply followed behind, but when the rest turned left, she instead decided to head right.

Rushing through the alleyway, she came out into the west street. Things were such a mess out here, though; she didn't know what to make off it! What in the world was going on? Who was doing this? Soldiers on horseback rode through the streets, burning everything in their path. Strangely enough, it seemed that they tried their best to AVOID contact with any and all civilians.

Hyrule's own soldiers fought back, and fought well, but the attack came so sudden that the enemy had a distinct advantage over them, for they had more time to plan out their maneuvers. Regardless, the enemy was still being pushed back. An attacking army generally doesn't have nearly as many reinforcements as that of the defenders, for some must still stick back at the mother country for support there. Saria had studied up on various books of histories over the past years and had learned of such things.

She stood watching from the alleyway, wrapping her cloak back around her body once more, hiding her face from the view of these outsiders. The attacking army was being pushed towards town square, where most of the fighting seemed to have taken place. The defenders used long spears that worked well in combating their enemies which rode swiftly through the streets.

Suddenly, a ball of fire came flying in from over the south wall, landing a short distance behind her. It exploded upon impact and she was flung into the street. Rolling over on the ground, Saria attempted to regain her footing. She looked up and saw a fallen warrior, his legs still gripping around his now-dead horse. Though startled, that was not what caught her eye. On his helmet was a familiar symbol… a rock formation, human-shaped, with a shield in the left "hand" and a sword in the right. She recognized it as the emblem from one of the countries she had visited.

"That's the emblem of Masa!" she proclaimed, stunned beyond all belief. She quickly forced herself up; eyes unable to shift from the body lying there. "Th…That's not possible! Masa is good ally of Hyrule…"

Swiftly and suddenly, a strong hand pulled her up off the ground. She struggled and screamed, crying out, but to no avail. The rider looked into her eyes, smiling. "I've got you, now," he stated.

The soldier set her in front of him, using his left hand to prevent her from getting away. He raised his sword up in his right, calling out. "To arms! Our mission has been fulfilled!"

Saria gasped. "M-mission? What mission? What in the world are you talking about?!"

The man snickered. "You brought this curse and now you must pay…pay with your life!"

"Wh-what?! That's impossible!" _'No one else could possibly know of this…'_ she thought to herself.

_**XXXXX**_

Link made his way back through the courtyards; finding it strange that all the guards were gone. He reckoned that it was probably time for them to change shifts. No sooner had he made his way around the corner, though, before seeing smoke billowing beyond the gates of Hyrule Castle. Soldiers rushed down from the castle and the opposing courtyard to the front gate, where an army of enemy soldiers fought trying to get through.

Acting upon instinct, Link lunged forward, locking swords with one of the intruders. He pushed forward, as did his rival. However, Link was too swift, and the enemy soldier failed to notice the swift kick that Link swung upwards while the soldier concentrated on the sword. Link quickly turned and swung his foot around again, slamming into the face of another soldier. Suddenly, he heard a yell from behind him.

Spinning around, he saw an enemy soldier that had slipped through the line and now stood before his eyes. A Hyrulean spear was gutted through his stomach. The soldier pulled his spear back out and the enemy fell dead. Link gave him a thumbs up. "Thanks," he stated.

Immediately he spun back and swung his sword around, slashing across the shoulder of another enemy soldier that had come up from behind him. The man fell to the ground, weakened, and Link kicked him aside, moving onward to help the defenders push the line back to town square.

A group of defenders rushed forward, but were suddenly bombarded by enemy arrows from the rooftops. Link had followed behind, but was suddenly glad he wasn't moving as fast as those others. Finding a fallen enemy warrior nearby, he managed to grab a small dagger slipped into a sheath hung from his belt. Turning back, he rushed forward, and threw the dagger up as hard as he could. The dagger cut through the air, slicing past one of the enemy archers on the rooftop of the now burning inn. The archer fell to the ground and Link suddenly got an idea.

He forced his way through, fighting off those that approached and leaving the rest to the defenders, until at last he found the dead archer. The battle raging behind him still left eerie thoughts in his mind, but if this worked out, then they'd be much better off. Rummaging over the body, he found the bow used by the archer and a quiver. There were still twenty-seven arrows left in it. Plenty enough.

No sooner did he grab the quiver and swing it over his shoulder when he heard a_fwik_ and an object come spinning towards him through the air. Link quickly rolled back as the arrow struck the ground a few inches away. Had he been a few seconds slower, that arrow would've hit him in the head.

Moving swiftly, he threw an arrow into the bow and spun, launching it immediately. Link was swift and acute with the bow. He trained a lot with Romani back at the ranch using his old bow, which he left in the spare room where he was staying. He also had practice using the Fairy Bow from the Forest Temple. As such, his aim was unmatchable.

The arrow hit the archer directly in the chest. He fell from his perch and into the street below. A few warriors nearby saw this and immediately turned to Link, moving toward him. Link chuckled, slipping the bow into the quiver and drawing his sword, bracing himself. "You don't want to mess with me," he stated.

The lead man chuckled back. "Hehe, confident, aren't you, boy? The way I see things, you're outnumbered three to one."

Link kept that snicker on his face as the man and his two companions drew their swords, charging forward. The green clad boy rolled forward, slipping between the middle man and the right one. He swung the blunt of his blade back, knocking the leader in the head, then followed that by swiftly swinging his foot around and kicked him away, knocking him down to the ground, still alive, but unconscious.

The remaining two were surprised by this maneuver and immediately turned to strike, but Link had other ideas. He brandished his sword in his hand and made a quick three-sixty, hitting both of them with the blade of his sword across their chests. Because they wore heavy armor it didn't hurt them much, as Link had realized, but the impact of the blade striking that spot knocked them back and knocked the breath right out of them. Both fell backwards and passed out.

Link swung his sword back behind him and slipped it into the sheath that hung from his back, grinning slyly. He rubbed his hands together as if to say "Job well done."

He turned back to face the battle behind him, but suddenly, he heard a horn call out from a side street. Instantly everything stopped. Both the defenders and the attackers turned to face in the direction where the horn had blown. Link was surprised at this.

"To arms! Our mission has been fulfilled!" a voice cried out.

Suddenly, all the remaining attackers left, rushing after the one who had blown the horn. The defenders were too stunned to even think about following them. Link raised an eyebrow and walked to the central fountain where one of the guards stood. "What's going on?" he asked.

The guard nodded. "It seems that whatever they came here to do, they have done it. It is obvious to me now that the battle and the fires were only a distraction for their true objective. They never intended on hurting anybody except those who would get in their way of achieving their goal."

Link was starting to understand this better, now, but one thing still boggled his mind. "Uh, what goal…?" he asked.

The man pointed to the lead warrior, riding out on horseback with a horn in his right hand. His other held firmly in his arms a girl. Not just any girl, though.

Link gasped out. "Saria!"


	11. Pressing On

**Author's Note(s)**: Ah, 'bout time, 'eh? Well, two chapters in one sitting! Actually, as soon as I finished Chapter 10, Chapter 11 came easily and the next should be just as easy. I've got lots of inspiration right now, so expect plenty to come. I've been dying to get some nice writing in.

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: The Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 11: Pressing On**_

Link stepped into the throne room and walked along the red carpet, kneeling just before the wide stair which led to where the king and queen's thrones lay. The princess was just to the queen's left, while the captain of the guard was to the king's right. Link himself was grieved, but he kept his posture.

The king shook his head. "Arise," he stated.

Link nodded, standing straight up before them.

"So, you see the position before you?" Zelda asked of him.

Link sighed, but then slowly nodded, again. "Yes."

"I told you that the answer awaited you. Now you see the threat we face."

The young hero scratched his head. "Just what was that all about, anyway?! Who were they… and why did they want Saria?"

The king stood tall and proud. "I can answer that question," he stated.

He paced around a bit, eyes to the ceiling. "They are of my home kingdom, Masa," he proclaimed. "A messenger came to us just before you arrived and told of the reasoning behind this attack. They never wished to shed blood, but, according to what they told me, they were willing to do what was necessary if it meant stopping the evil power that has been released in the world."

Link just stood there, taking it all in.

"The fires were meant as a diversion to keep us occupied while they searched for what they were looking for—your friend, Saria. The attacking army was brought in for they knew that soldiers would come to defend the castle. However, they did not attack until we did. They tried to avoid spilling as little blood as possible for they knew that we were allies, but at the same time, they seemed to find that the attack was necessary to save this world."

As the king concluded his speech, he returned to his throne and sat down. Link simply scratched his head, bewildered. "So, they attacked because they thought it was the right thing to do? Is that what you are saying?"

Rohanes nodded. "Yes, that is correct."

Link sighed. "I really want to help you defend the castle. However, not to be rude or anything, right now I find this to be a nuisance. They've got Saria and who knows what they plan on doing with her! I must go rescue her…now."

Now it was Zelda's turn to speak, again. "Yes, you must," she stated. "These people have been tricked into thinking that killing her will solve all our problems. The messenger implied that no more harm would come to us if we left them be. They intend on taking Saria to Death Mountain and sacrifice her to Volvagia, the fire dragon."

Link gasped out. "Impossible!"

Zelda shook her head. "No, it is not. You know well enough of what Volvagia is capable of. You've defeating this creature once before, as we all know. However, that timeline is non-existent. Volvagia still lives to reek havoc upon the world."

Link gritted his teeth, pulling his sword from his sheath. "Then I must go immediately!"

Zelda nodded. "Indeed. Sacrificing her will not stop the power from growing. If anything, it'll only make things worse. Furthermore, her role as one of the seven sages is necessary in the near future for a power that has not yet awaken, but which shall be awakened soon. Her death destroys all hope of our survival."

The hero nodded, bowing his head. "Then, may I take my leave?"

The king shook his head. "Death Mountain is treacherous. You cannot possibly survive the mountain in your current state."

Link narrowed his eyes. "Wh-what?!"

The king raised his hand. Immediately, the captain of the guard nodded his head. "Yes, sire," he stated.

The guard left the room. Link turned and watched him go. A short while later, he returned, holding a large shield in his hands. He approached Link and hand the shield to him. "You will need this. Our Hylian Shields are resistant to the fires of that accursed mountain. It would be suicide to go without one."

Link stared blankly, but then quickly shook the expression of his face. He nodded his head, taking the shield in his hands. "Yes, of course."

He hung the shield over his back, then turn to face the king again, bowing once more. "Now may I take my leave?" he asked.

Rohanes nodded. "Yes, of course. Take the east gate of the town. It is a much quicker route than traveling through Kakariko Village as you know of doing. Death Mountain is only a short ride from there."

Link raised an eyebrow. "But wait… what of my horse?! I searched the stables but I couldn't find her, anywhere!"

The king nodded, again. "That is a simple question. When the inn was set ablaze the attackers set all the horses free. This was not so that we would lose our horses but simply so that the horses would not be burned in the blaze. Your horse is safely within the castle stables, now, being tended to by our maids."

Now the princess walked out in front of the king and queen, turning to her father, nodding her head. "Shall I prepare his horse for him, father?" she asked.

The king nodded. "Yes, of course," he stated.

Zelda the princess nodded her head. She turned back and walked down the stairs, passing by Link on her way through. "Your horse will be ready for you out by the main gate," she stated.

Link brushed a hand through his hair. "Uh, heh… Sorry about our first meeting, heh…"

She shook her head, giggling a bit. "No, no, it's okay. Don't worry about it. I was just a little startled, that's all."

"Zelda!" the queen called out. "Hurry up and prepare the horse for him. He needs to set out as soon as possible."

The princess nodded her head, again. "Y-yes, right away, mother!"

Princess Zelda waved goodbye to Link and quickly rushed off. Link turned back to king and queen. "Well, then, I guess I am done, here. Shall I be off, then?"

Zelda nodded. "Yes, of course. Do not be too late, though. Your presence will be needed back here after this mission is fulfilled. The dark powers haven't taken us yet, but they are still ever growing."

Link nodded, bowing again. "Yes, I know. I will be back soon… with Saria."

Rohanes nodded. "Good luck, young hero."

Link nodded again and then left the chamber. He went straight through the castle and out into the courtyard. As expected, the princess was waiting for him with Melinda already saddled and bridled. He approached her.

"Here she is, Link," Zelda stated. "She is a fine horse."

Link chuckled a bit. _'If only you knew…'_ he muttered to himself.

Melinda neighed. Link chuckled, again, coming up next to her and brushing his hand down her mane. "Hey, hey, I haven't forgot about you. I'm sorry, but you'll just have to hang tight a little longer."

Zelda raised an eyebrow. "Who are you talking to…?" she asked, surprised.

Link stared blankly, then suddenly spewed something out. "Well, I, uh… I always talk to her this way."

Zelda giggled a bit. "Heehee… You're so silly."

Link was a little surprised by her change of behavior. Before she was chewing him out and now she was acting very… sweet. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

She cocked her head to the side, hands behind her back. "Hmm…?"

Link shrugged his shoulders. "Uh, I dunno… You just seemed so… How should I put this? Level-headed? At our first meeting, yet now…"

Zelda lowered her head. "Uh, well… It seems that this situation is worse off than I thought. Something's out their trying to corrupt our world and I'm sitting here yelling at the one who is destined to save it."

Link chuckled. "You actually believe that?"

She nodded her head. "I have no reason not to believe it. I've seen stranger things happen."

Link nodded in reply. Still, something didn't seem quite right. He turned back to her, curious. "This wouldn't happen to be about that boy I saw climbing out of your room, would it?" he asked.

She gasped, putting her hand on her mouth. "How'd you know about that?!" she demanded.

Link chuckled. As expected, her statement was in the same tone as the time when they first met. "So that's it, isn't it? The other voice I heard the other day was the boy who snuck into your room. You didn't want me to know about him so you covered it up."

She lowered her head. "I… I really have no idea who he is. He just popped up into my room mumbling something about me being his 'charge' and then left. I saw him a couple other times, as well, but after that one time when he climbed out the window then saw you, ultimately causing him to lose his balance and _fall_ out, I never saw him again."

Link nodded. "I don't think he means you harm, princess, but still, be wary. I'll try and look into that later on."

Zelda nodded. "Yes, of course…" Suddenly a thought occurred to her. She placed her hand on her mouth. "Oh! You should be going soon, shouldn't you…?"

He nodded, his thoughts straying. "Yes, I suppose I should..."

Link climbed up onto his horse and started to move off, waving farewell to Zelda. Then she remembered something, though. "Oh my…" she muttered softly.

She raced after him, calling out. "Link, hold on!"

Link stopped just before the gates, surprised. He glanced back. "Yes?"

Zelda ran up to him, removing a small pendant from around her neck, a purple jewel hanging from it. "Here, take this! My mother gave it to me when I was young. She told me that I should give it to you before you left."

Link took it in his hands, nodding his head. He turned back to her. "Thank you," he stated.

She nodded, a sparkle seeming to emanate from her eyes. _'Keep it safe, young hero.'_

He had begun to turn away, but that startled him. He turned back to her. "Uh, what was that…?"

Zelda blinked. "Hmm…? I didn't say anything…"

Now it was his turn to be surprise. He shook his head. "Mmm… Must've been my imagination, then. I'm sorry…"

"It's okay," she said.

"Alright, then," he remarked.

Link waved farewell and Zelda returned to the castle. Link rode down through the gates and into the streets, soldiers already helping to clean up the damage done and restore what was lost. He steered the horse to the left, clapping his feet together beneath her. "Ya!" he cried out and she dashed off through the gate and out into eastern Hyrule. Death Mountain lingered on the horizon. It would likely take a few hours to reach it, but it was closer than having to travel through the southern route and into Kakariko Village.

'_Saria, I'm coming to rescue you…'_

_**XXXXX**_

_The heat pouring over my face was overwhelming… My body burned, enflamed… My wrists felt sore; aching with strenuous pain… Heat flowed over my skin… Bursts of fire echoed around me… Footsteps clanked on metal…_

Saria suddenly jolted awake, breathing in heavily. She took a deep breath of air, then another. She tried to move her arms but seemingly could not. Glancing over, she saw that her right wrist seemed to have been chained to a rock formation. Her other wrist bared the same results.

Even more strange, though, was that her arms were mostly bare. She felt a small piece of cloth, probably a skirt, dangling from her waist. Her torso bared only a small tube top, white in color, which she could plainly see. Nothing showed that she did not wish to show, but she still didn't feel right. Regardless, she clearly would've sweltered if she had been wearing her normal clothes, now—she was already boiling in the intense heat.

An eerie red glow emanated on the outer walls. Apparently she was hanging, for her feet did not touch visible ground of any sort. Like her arms, she could not move her legs, either. Positioned in this way, her head hung low. She couldn't clearly see the molten rock bubbling far below. Chained up like this, she could not move. Even if she could, though, she didn't want to. There was a metal grating a few feet ahead which seemed to outline the edge around the chamber. However, there's no way she could possibly reach it from here—it was simply too far away.

She heard the clanking footsteps again. A man appeared before her. He walked up the grating to the central pillar where she now hung, chuckling to himself. "Ah, if it isn't the lovely lady. I've heard so much about you, my sweets," he stated, grinning slyly as he approached her.

He stood at the edge of the grating, looking over at her, mocking her. "You truly are quite beautiful, little miss. Unfortunately, it seems that you have to go. The curse you have brought about this land must end."

She hissed. "How do you know about that, anyway?!" she demanded.

The man chuckled. "Ah, but alas, you have been given up. The green-clad mistress has informed us that the dark powers will not cease unless you are dealt with."

Saria raised an eyebrow. "Green-clad mistress…?"

He nodded. "Evil has grown in our lands. Animals have become wild and fierce. Our people have been corrupting themselves, some even into demonic entities, while others change in mind only. The woman appeared in our halls and informed us of the cause of this threat. She gave us the exact day you'd be available and the exact time when it would be most appropriate. She also told us of the fire dragon in this mountain which would bare our sacrifice. Once we have pled to the gods for our land to be healed, sacrificing the cause of this catastrophe, then would the world be restored."

Saria gasped out. She pulled at her chains, yelling out, angrily. "You're insane! SHE is the one behind it all! I'll admit that I may have accidentally released this power, but she is controlling it. She tricked you, you fool! Once I'm out of the way, then she will have full control over everything."

The man crossed his arms. "And how am I to know the truth? So you admit that you are behind it." He laughed and started to walk away. "That is good enough for me," he stated.

He suddenly stopped and spun around. This time, Saria decided to take in the details. Now realizing the fact that she was inside of Death Mountain's crater, it was no surprise that he wore the lightest clothing he could. His hair was brushed back neatly with a small black band pushing it back. On his hands he wore a pair of silver gauntlets which glowed in the eerie light emanating from the lava below. Around his neck was a cloth fabric with a gold medallion at the bottom of it in the front. On the medallion was the insignia of Masa. He was clearly the same man that had captured her in Hyrule Castle Town.

It seemed like longer, but it was really only a few seconds since he turned back. "Oh, and by the way," he began, bowing. "I'm Captain Baask of the Kingdom of Masa." Then he turned his head back up to face her, yes still in the same posture. "Pleased to meet your acquaintance, Miss…?"

"Saria," she stated. Immediately after that, she spat. "And I'm NOT pleased to meet yours."

Baask chuckled. "Of course not," he proclaimed, boldly. Then, he left, leaving her alone in this fiery pit of hell.

Saria sighed. _'Where are you, Link…?'_


	12. Brotherly Love

**The Legend of Zelda: The Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 12: Brotherly Love**_

It wasn't too far of a ride to reach Death Mountain. Actually, when Link finally reached the slope that led up the mountain trail he found it surprising that he made such good time. The path up the mountain veered off to the right of the open field of Eastern Hyrule where Link now was. A little ways up and he found a fork. The left path went further up while the right went back down and around a bend. That, Link realized, must've been where Kakariko Village was.

Of course, Link pulled Malon up the left path and she followed along. Apparently she was well-accustomed to her new form for a while as she moved along graciously. Or perhaps the magic automatically gave her the proper instincts. Whatever the case, though she obviously wanted to return to normal soon, she was content with suffering through it a little longer.

As expected, the trek up the mountain was quite rocky and bumpy. Stones and even boulders had rolled down from higher up, cracking apart and causing trails of stone to be imbedded into the ground, leaving it unleavened. Some such boulders were still mostly intact, with large rocks on either side of the path or even in the center. Despite this, they pushed on, until coming to a sudden surprise…

"Halt!" a large goron proclaimed, his stone-like limbs crossing in front of his body. His front was mostly a bare brown, whereas the backside appeared to be covered in stone. He looked just like any other goron, yet something also seemed familiar… like he had a slight case of déjà vu'.

"I know not who you are," the goron proclaimed, "but you trespass on sacred grounds. These lands are forbidden for outsiders to enter."

Link saw that behind the goron, a large makeshift stone gate stood. It appeared relatively new; almost as if it was made in haste within the last few days. Regardless, Link didn't want to keep his 'friend' waiting or to give him the wrong impression.

"I am here to seek out one that has been taken here—a young girl of the forest, clad in green garbs. She had been captured by outsiders and I seek to rescue her," he stated, trying to sound as professional as possible.

The goron laughed. "Haha! Oh, you mean that girl? I'm sorry, but she must be sacrificed to the great fire dragon. The cursed one must be destroyed if this evil that has even the power to revive the dragon from it's grave is ever to part from this world."

Link groaned. "Since when do you people care about that beast? Isn't this the same dragon, the Goron-eater, which nearly destroyed the tribe of Gorons hundreds of years ago?"

The goron nodded. "Indeed. That is another reason why she must be sacrificed—to quench the wrath of Volvagia. Even the great fire dragon is affected by the ever-growing dark powers in this world."

Link had enough of this. He swiped his blade out of its sheath, baring it before him. "Alright, then, if you refuse to let me pass, I'll fight my way through!"

The goron bared his fists, entering into a fighting pose. "Then so be it, foolish boy!"

"WAIT!" a booming voice called out.

The goron turned around, surprise lingering in his eyes. "What?!"

An elderly goron made his way down to the gate. He was definitely old, but still appeared strong enough to pack a punch. Link wasn't sure who he was, but once again, that feeling of "déjà vu'" entered into his mind, yet not quite the same…it wasn't a true déjà vu', but he seemed to remember the person in question, though he did not know where…

The elderly goron stood tall and proud. "What have I taught you, my son? Foolish boy! Do you not know who this is?"

The goron shook his head. "No, I have never seen him before in my life."

The elder one laughed. "That is because you were not born when this young lad saved our people from starvation!"

The younger goron looked stunned. "Wait… It's HIM? My eyes only see a young man, yet by your account, he should be much older!"

The elder nodded. "Yes, that is true, but where he has been, time passed by at a slower rate. You may not find that logical, but it is true."

The younger lowered his head, nodding. "Yes, I see," he stated, then turned back to face Link. He bowed, graciously. "I am sorry for the trouble I have caused you, great warrior." Lifting his head up again, he continued. "I am Link-Goro, son of Big Brother, Darunia."

Link gasped. "Wait, so that's how I remember you!"

Link-Goro looked surprised. "Hmm? I've never seen you before in my life…"

Link raised an eyebrow, but then went and scratched his head. "Uh, heh, nevermind…"

Link-Goro went and stepped aside. Now Link himself saw that the gate wasn't really a gate at all—just a partial wall with a thin passage. "Well, it seems that you have been given the word. You may pass. Big Brother is waiting for you."

Link nodded, then looked passed the gate, or, wall…whatever it was, only to see that the elderly goron was already gone. _'That must've been Darunia… It explains why I remembered him, despite the fact he's much older now,'_ he thought to himself.

Shaking the thought out of his head, he quickly returned to Malon and climbed up on her back, again. It felt strange calling her that, but he knew it was the truth. Perhaps it'd be best to stick with Melinda until she was restored to normal.

Link rode through the gateway, but then a hand touched his shoulder. "Be careful on the mountain," Link-Goro stated. "The people of Masa are lurking in the shadows. Also, the gorons further ahead won't be friendly to you. Watch out for them."

Link nodded in reply. "Yes, of course," he stated. "I'll be careful."

Link-Goro nodded and let Link pass through. When he and the horse were completely passed the gate, Link-Goro stepped back in front of it again. _'There's no going back now,'_ he realized. Not that he wanted to, though…

_**XXXXX**_

Surprisingly, he didn't encounter many other gorons on the way up, and the Masans were no where to be found. As such, Link had little difficulty making it up the mountain to the cave entrance that led into Goron City. Two gorons were situated at the entrance, blocking out any intruders, but Link was welcomed in. Melinda, on the other hand, could not enter, for she wouldn't be able to get through the three-story cave that formed the city, very easily. He whispered a few words of encouragement to her and told her that he'd be back shortly, then entered into the city.

The city looked mostly normal, though some notable enhancements had been made. First of all, it definitely seemed much larger than before. More floors above had been added, and new slopes between floors were added, including a series leading down to Darunia's chamber. The hanging platform at the center of the room was also now gone. Other additions included metal gratings along certain floors where a path underneath had been dug out.

Another matter at hand was the gorons themselves; most of them seemed restless and in fear. No doubt it was the fear of the dragon, Volvagia. Perhaps this was the reason that they were so eager to aid the Masans. Or perhaps "eager" was not the right word…

Whatever the case, Link knew that he had to push on. He walked straight forward and down the path ahead, entering through the square, rock doorway which led to Big Brother's room. It was dimly lit, and still as small as ever. Only two torches were in here. Darunia himself stood with his back to the door, facing his throne. As Link expected, it was the same elderly goron he had seen before.

"I've been waiting for you," he stated, turning around to finally face Link. "It's been a long time, brother."

Link nodded. "Likewise," he replied.

Darunia nodded. "You know of the matter at hand, do you not?"

Link nodded in reply. "Yes, I do… Well, at least most of it, though the rest I could probably guess. It seems that the gorons have been essentially blackmailed into helping the Masans, correct?"

Big Brother nodded. "Yes, that is correct. I understood the problem of the dark power that had been unleashed, but I was very surprised to see just who was the one that first brought it upon us."

Link sighed. "I know," he stated.

"She is your friend, correct?" Darunia asked. "She is the one who made that magnificent melody?"

The young hero nodded, again. "Yes, she is. I take it you've since found out?"

Darunia laughed. "Why, of course! How could I not wish to find the source of such glamour? And besides, the knowledge of the sages is common between one another. Such a surprise to learn that the source of this song you first taught me was another one of the seven."

Suddenly, he turned aside. "But that is another matter. You and I both know that Saria's life is vital to us if we want to stop the evil power from growing. Killing her only plays into the dark one's hands."

"Where is she?" Link asked.

Darunia nodded. "That is the easy question. She is being held within the crater itself. However, the path is being blocked off. You will need to find another route."

Link rolled his eyes. "There's no time for that! By the time we could find another way up there, she'll be dead!"

Now this time the elderly goron shook his head. "Ah, but that is not so. There is another way. As we have dug deeper and deeper into the caverns, we found a path that linked to the Fire Temple. If you find the path through the Dodongo's Caverns that leads to the temple, you can climb back out into the crater of the mountain and rescue Saria. You must make haste, though, for I fear that the dragon will soon stir."

Link nodded, but then something came to mind. "Mmm… How does this work out, though…? Wouldn't the dragon kill those Masans, too?"

Darunia shook his head. "That would normally have been the case, but now it is not so. The dark one behind this is manipulating Volvagia with her dark powers. So long as they listen to what she is saying, the dragon will only attacked the one being sacrificed. The gorons are being spared so long as we cooperate."

The young hero nodded one again. "Hmm, I see… Well, that explains that."

"Indeed," Darunia stated. "You must being going now, though. However, you may at least wish to take one of our Goron tunics with you so that you will protected from the fiery mountain."

Suddenly, a new thought occurred to Link. "Wait… What about Saria?! I doubt they gave her one of those things, so how will she survive the heat of the mountain?!"

The goron shrugged his shoulders. "I doubt they would've overlooked that. The dragon will not be pleased with a dead sacrifice. What is likely the case is that some of her garments have been taken to slow the effects of the heat long enough for the sacrifice to be fulfilled. You should probably leave now. We will take care of your horse until you return."

Link nodded, bowing slightly. "Thank you."

Darunia shook his head. "No, thank you. It is you who has saved us twice in the past, and now you seek to help us again."

Link raised an eyebrow. "Twice…?"

Darunia just smiled.


	13. Cave of Dodongo

**Author's Note(s)**: Mmm, this was the main problem here. This chapter was keeping me on hiatus for writing because I couldn't figure out how I wanted to put it together. The end of the first scene was another problem. I didn't want to write all that out, so I took the lazy approach and skipped past the dungeon. :P

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: The Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 13: Cave of Dodongo**_

It didn't take long to get back down the mountain to where the cave entrance to Dodongo's Cavern lay. After the last endeavor here, the creatures in the cavern had moved out and the Goron's began mining more through here for its minerals and food. Link, of course, did not find their 'food' all too appetizing…

Regardless, with the rise of the evil power that has spread, dark creatures began to grow out of the mountain and even some had migrated back within. A few of these were even former tame animals. As Link stepped into the entrance and moved forward, he could tell that the place had indeed changed greatly.

The central slab was still there as well as the lava pit surrounding it. However, grating had been put in place above the gap between the central slab and the outer walkways. The room had expanded greatly outwards and ores could be seen gaping out from the walls. Grating was high above, as well, stretching across the chamber and forming a sort of 'second level.'

The remains of the giant dodongo skeleton were also still visible, though it was quite clear that some of it had been taken down. It seemed that it must've been scavenged out and converted into ivory. Some of it was still noticeable, though, mainly in the walls.

While the area had been largely renovated, Link immediately noticed something that did not change… He still felt intense heat. It was almost unbearable, but he knew that it was a far cry from the inner depths of the mountain. Another thing of note was the strong smell of sulfur. That was something he'd rather not have to go through again.

At last, though, Link realized that he'd best get going. He had guessed that the path leading higher into the mountain must've been passed King Dodongo's cave, so he promptly moved straight ahead. As he approached the grating, though, a pillar of fire suddenly shot up in front of him, startling him. A skull appeared behind the flames, forming into a devilish smile.

Link gasped out in surprise. "A…bubble…?" he asked himself.

The skull laughed out and charged forward. The green-clad warrior quickly regained his footing and pulled out his shield. He swung his arm forward, the metal clanking against the bone; flames absorbed into the steel plating. The skull fell down, the flames around itself collapsing, and it rolled back a little ways over the grating.

Link charged forward, swinging his sword down on his left side and slashing back up to the right. The skull was cleaved in two. The remains suddenly melted away into a goo-like blue shadow and disappeared all-together. He raised an eyebrow. _'Was this creature formed by that scepter?'_

As if almost to answer his question, more shadows appeared around him. He currently stood at the center of the chamber. Four skeletons were reformed around him, all baring swords and shields. A chill ran through his spine. "Stalfos…" he muttered to himself.

The boney warriors all bared their weapons, charging forward at Link. He was swift, though, and simply rolling to the side. A quick slash from behind and the first soldier collapsed to the ground as its backbone had been sliced through. Now it was only three against one.

The left-most one, currently the one closest to the remains of the Dodongo skull and furthest from the entrance, charged first, slicing its sword down upon Link. The hero quickly threw his own sword up against it, though, and then swung his leg across, knocking away the legs of the stalfos. He then quickly swung his sword back around again, slicing through another one of the skeleton warrior's that had come up from behind him.

The remaining soldier wasn't too difficult to handle, either. Link swung his sword back, but the stalfos blocked the attack with its shield. It countered with a sword swing, but Link simply flipped backwards and out of the way of the attack, sliding a bit in the dirt. At last, he charged forward, but quickly rolled to the left at the last second, surprising the undead warrior and leaving it off guard.

Suddenly, the hero launched himself upward, slicing his sword through the center of the creature. The bones of the skeleton split and launched in all directions, bouncing off of the stone ground. As everything settled, all the skeleton bones melted away into the same mist they had come from. Turning back, Link saw something he had not seen before…

Purple mists swirled around the passage leading onward. It seemed to be the same mist that the monsters disappeared and reappeared into. Three balls of light flew about within. One of these suddenly melted away, leaving the other two. After waiting a little while, nothing changed.

Link grinned. _'I get it now… Defeating the monsters released the barrier. It seems that there are four groups of monsters in this place that must be destroyed. I guess that is the right way after all.'_

He nodded to himself, turning to the door on the far wall, right of the entryway. "Well, then… here goes nothing!"

At last, he raced ahead and opened the door. He slid his body through and then closed it tightly behind him.

_**XXXXX**_

The last ball of energy dissipated. Suddenly, the energy collapsed, melting away like the monsters did. Link made his way back out to the central chamber, finding his suspicions to be correct. Defeating the monsters destroyed the barrier.

He rushed through, finding that the passage had indeed been dug out more, and came across a metal door further ahead. He pulled it open and saw another square chamber. This one was notably smaller, though. To the right, there was a set of stairs against the wall then led upwards. To the left, another set of stairs led down into the floor. Realizing that the crater was obviously higher up, he chose the right path.

The stairs went on for quite a ways. It was a confusing mess, but at last he came to yet another door. Here he went forward and opened it, entering into the chamber. A metal staircase, containing only three stairs, led down onto a central platform. Lava pits surrounded the platform on all sides except on the far end, where there was a stone step up to another door.

Despite all the molten rock, there was more grating above the lava. Strangely, there was also a series of lava pits in small circular intrusions along the central platform. These, too, were now covered in grating. Against the left wall, there appeared to be a set of anvils, and a furnace, powered by, of course, the heat of the molten rock below. That wasn't all that caught Link's eyes, though…

"Who DARES enter the sacred temple of the Gorons?!" a large, bulky figure demanded. It stepped forward, staring directly at Link.

The young man groaned, stepping down the stairs and onto the opposite side of the central platform. "I've come to save a friend… and you Gorons, too, while I'm at it," he proclaimed.

The goron reared his head back, laughing loudly. "Ha ha ha ha! Foolish boy! You think that you can beat that demon?! You're insane! And defend the Gorons? Ha! We'll fend for ourselves. You need not deal with us, puny boy!"

Link raised an eyebrow. "'Puny'…?"

The goron turned back down to face Link, nodding. As he spoke, he began to stretch out his arms, as if a show of strength. "Why, of course! You're a shrimp. Not enough muscle to handle the likes of me…"

At last, Link brandished his sword in his hand. "Hmph… Very well, then! Show me what you've got…"

The goron laughed again. "Ha ha ha ha! Smooth, kid, real smooth... Unfortunately, I, Char-Goro, shall best you! On guard!"

Char-Goro suddenly swung out a mighty hammer. He jumped forward, slamming the metal object in his hand hard onto the ground. Link managed to move a little ways, but the hit was powerful and the vibrations caused by the object sent him flying across the room.

Link slammed into the cavern wall and collapsed to the ground. He wasn't ready to give up yet, though. Instead, the hero quickly flipped back up onto his feet and rushed back onto the grating. He quickly swung out his bow and launched an arrow into the midst of Char-Goro's armor, piercing his skin.

Gorons may have rock-hard skin, but even they have weaknesses—the neck and belly areas were both smooth and soft. This arrow pierced just beneath the neck. Link realized that, undoubtedly, the goron was simply another one tricked by the Masans, so he didn't want to do significant damage.

As expected, the shot of the bow merely momentarily stopped the Goron in his tracks as he attempted to remove the foreign object. Truly, it was barely a scratch and easily fixable, but it gave Link the shot he needed. He raced in and slashed his sword at the Goron's completely undefended legs, and then a little around the belly area, before at last flipping backwards to avoid the hammer strike.

The goron turned back to face Link, nodding his head. "Hmm… You are quite strong for such a puny body… Could you be the one…?"

Link shrugged his shoulders, still holding his sword out. "Well, I couldn't really tell… as I have no idea who this 'one' is."

The goron laughed out. "Ohohohoho… You could not possibly mean that, could you? THE one, the great hero… The one that first destroyed the evil power in these caverns, then later defeated the source of the evil power, according to what Big Brother Darunia has told to us… He claimed that a great warrior had returned and I was too look out for him, but you look like no warrior in my eyes…"

Link rolled his eyes. "Ya' can't win 'em all…" he muttered to himself.

Char-Goro grimaced, waving his arms wildly. "Wh-what?!"

Link chuckled, beckoning with his hand. "Okay, then, I'll tell you what… If I beat you in combat, you will recognize me as the 'hero' Big Brother was talking about and let me pass. If not, then you can have the pleasure of tossing me into the lava pit just beyond that door up ahead…" as he finished, he motioned to the door opposite the one he had first entered in.

The goron sneered. "Very well, then… Prepare to die!" he called out, boldly.

Char-Goro quickly charged forward, slamming his giant hammer across horizontal along the path where Link stood. Just as the hammer was about to hit, Link simply rolled underneath the goron's legs, slicing upward as he passed by. Char-Goro yelped and spun back, swinging the hammer around wildly.

Link rushed away and stayed in the far corner until the large rock-like creature collapsed of exhaustion. He quickly raced up and hacked at the goron's chest. The armor it wore deflected most of it, but some still struck home. Char-Goro jumped to his feet and slammed the ground hard, causing Link to lose his balance and collapse to the ground.

The goron proceeded to bare his weapon again, jumping into the air and slamming the ground where Link now lay. However, the hero quickly rolled out of the way and regained his footing. He rushed over to the goron's backside as he sat on his hands and knees, out of breath. Link yet again hacked away, slashing repeatedly at the rock creature's bottom.

Char-Goro swung a hand back and knocked Link away. Painfully, he climbed to his feet, but was still very weak. Link came back in for another strike, but the goron shook his head. "W-wait… Stop…"

Link raised an eyebrow.

The goron sighed. "I concede…" he stated. "You are a worthy hero and a grand fighter. I'm sorry I doubted you, warrior."

Link nodded. "Thanks," he stated.

Char-Goro nodded. He motioned to the corner, beyond the furnace and to the left of the door that led back into the Fire Temple. A small chest lay there. "Take the contents," he stated. "There is an item within that may be of use to you."

Link nodded in reply. He began to move, but seeing the goron move weakly over to the furnace, he stopped. "You need help?" he asked.

Char-Goro shook his head. He reached around a few shelves and pulled down a bottle filled with red liquid. He drank it and brushed a bit of the remaining off of his lips. At last, he sat at ease. "Ah…" he muttered.

The goron turned back to Link, nodding his head. "Heh, I always keep spare potions on hand… No worries, I won't harm you now that my strength is back; I see that you are truly a great hero."

Link nodded back. "Yes, of course," he stated.

The boy made his way over to the chest. Fumbling with the latch, he at last managed to slide the metal semicircle that formed the top off of it and back against the wall. Inside was a small chain connected to a strange handle. He raised it out of the box, eying it curiously.

Suddenly, Link felt a hand on his shoulder. "Ah, that is the Grapple Shot," Char-Goro stated. "This handy little device shoots out a chain connected to a small hook by pulling in the lever. The chain is quite sturdy and the hook will wrap around and stick to many things. It also comes off easy enough by pressing the other button, which automatically loosens the hook and the chain slides off and comes back down to you. This should come in handy up in the crater, which has had quite a bit of geological changes since you were last here."

Link turned up to the goron, nodding his head. "Thanks again," he stated.

Char-Goro saluted. "Don't thank me. You are the one who is going to stop those humans and defeat that dragon. You're doing _us_ the favor."

Link smiled as he began to ascend the small flight of stairs. "I'll keep that in mind," he muttered, as he opened the door and raced through the depths of the fire temple. It was hot, yes, but he'd make it… he had too… Saria was still up there, waiting…


	14. In the Dragon's Den

**Author's Note(s)**: Actually, I wrote this one BEFORE Chapter 13... and I wrote Chapter 17 before Chapter 14 (this one). Chapter 12? That was written a long time ago and I simply forgot to put it on . As such, now you get THREE chapters! As soon as I finish 15 and 16, you'll also get another trio as 17 was written a long while ago. In total, I have estimated about 40 chapters, so we're almost halfway through this one. Yes, it is long...

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: The Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 14: In the Dragon's Den**_

Link raced out onto the metal grating. The crater of Death Mountain had changed tremendously since the last time he had been here. It seemed that parts of the original paths down below had collapsed and now the only thing remaining was this grating that had been built before the volcano ruined the original walkways.

The same stone pillar from before stood at the center of the volcano. Of course, the other two pillars stuck up out of the boiling rock below were also in place. At the center of the grating, in front of the central pillar, the Triforce symbol that was once on the stone below now was painted onto this grating. Ahead of the Triforce symbol and before the central pillar, there was a large gap of nothingness that separated the two positions. Saria hung directly on the other side of this.

He rushed out as far as he could, reaching his hand forward. "Saria!" he cried out.

Saria looked up at him, gasping out. "L-Link!"

"I've come to rescue you!" he called out in reply.

She shook her head. "N-no! It's a trap! Watch out!"

Link stopped in place. He glanced around, but did not see anything. The magma below began to boil rapidly, though, and he turned to it in surprise. "What in the world…"

A pillar of fire lashed out between the pillar to the right of where Saria hung and where she now was. As the molten rock collapsed back down into the pit below, the form of the snake-like creature dashed out. It hovered in mid-air, turning to face Link. It roared out, but then it turned it's eyes to the meal that had been prepared for it. It lunged!

Link cried out. "No!" he screamed.

Acting quickly, Link pulled out his new-found weapon, the grapple shot, and aimed just above the dragon's neck. He launched it and it fell around, latching on. He quickly pressed the switched that pulled it in and Volvagia was dragged towards him. The dragon began wriggling out of it's grasp, but Link was still able to get in a few swipes with his sword before the beast shook it free and spouted fire around himself. Link was knocked backwards, rolling across the grate.

The attack did not seem to faze the beast much, but it did distract it from its original plan. Before it could feast, it would have to take care of this powerful creature first.

Volvagia lunged in Link's direction, now, and he barely had enough time to roll aside before the dragon swiped past. However, it was swift even still, and so it immediately stopped and turned around. Link, wasting no time, aimed his grapple shot and launched it at some metal poles that had been built higher up near the top of the crater.

These were likely the construction of a new floor for the grating, as it seemed that above they could almost be walked on, and some ladders and such connecting to the lower section. Whatever the case, they certainly helped here. Link swung forward, the chain link string proving to be quite durable and easy enough to handle his weight, so he had little difficulty in swinging forward, loosing the grip, and then launching it again in a different direction.

Volvagia dashed past, almost slamming into the wall near Link. He at last let go and rolled down on the grating below once again. The dragon turned and opened its mouth wide, fire spewing from its mouth. Link jumped aside and hung from the grate, barely escaping the fiery doom. He climbed back up and saw the dragon lunge towards him, again. He ducked to the side, but not before getting it a couple slices with his sword along the beast's neck. The creature cried out, but still did not seem too fazed.

The dragon opened it's mouth once again. The blazing heat of the flames that poured out singed the back of his hair slightly, but it did not actually reach him, for he had managed to launch his grapple to the other side of the chamber beforehand and pull himself out in the nick of time.

The beast was furious that it kept missing its prey, but it was still confident that it would prevail. The creature swung down, not even aiming for Link at all. It reached down towards the grating where Link was before and tore at it with its forearms and back legs. Link was stunned by what he saw. The beast was tearing apart the grating at that section, and a small bit fell into the burning heat below. If it kept this up, he would have no place to stand.

Volvagia turned back to Link, rearing its head up and giving out a loud roar it lunged forward once again. This time, Link simply backed up a ways, slowly, until he was flat up against the cavern's wall. He simply stood there, waiting, as the dragon lunged towards him. He wasn't sure if this would work or not, but it couldn't hurt to try, would it?

Suddenly, he dodged to the side. As expected, Volvagia apparently did not see the move and slammed into the wall. The beast collapsed to the ground and Link saw a strange red glow on its forehead. It seemed like a small gem imbedded there. Getting an idea, Link lunged forward, aiming his sword for that specific spot. He slashed a few times before the dragon awoke, crying out, flames spewing from its mouth.

It turned down to face Link, and before he could get away, the creature swiped its large claw down and grabbed Link tightly in its grasp. Link wriggles in the beast's grasp, but is unable to break free. He still had his hand clenched to the hilt of his sword, but his arm remained immobile in the creature's grasp.

Saria cried out as she saw Volvagia carry Link across the chamber and toss him down into the fire below. Link passed from her eyesight and tears poured down from her face. She heard the beast's roar and knew that she was next, but it didn't matter to her anymore. It was over.

The loud roar pierced her ears as she saw the beast above her, standing on the central pillar, looking down at the creature that was set apart for its next meal. It reached its head down and then…

A metal claw caught the creature around its neck. Saria gasped out in surprise, turning to her right. Link held the strange object in his hand, pulling the creature towards him. She gasped out. "Link!"

Link swung the grapple around, slamming the creature against the wall. He loosed the chain again and dashed forward, swinging his sword repeatedly up against the gem in the beast's forehead. The creature cried out again, screaming in agony. This time, though, it collapsed to the platform, not getting up.

Finding this situation agreeable to his liking, Link rushed off, dashing around the grating and back to the center, racing up to the symbol on the grating. Saria anxiously pulled at the chains tying her to the pillar and Link found himself surprised at the condition she was in along with the attire she was wearing… or perhaps lack thereof.

Regardless, he knew he had to find a way across. Not knowing any other way to go, he raised the grapple in his hand and shot it towards the pinnacle of the stone pillar, the hook tightening enough so that it would hold his weight. He swung over, slashing the chains across her feet, careful not to hit her, then he slashed at the ones holding her hands.

Saria slipped free, but Link quickly caught her before she fell, quickly re-sheathing his sword. She wrapped his arms tightly around him, burying her head in his chest out of fear. "Thank you…" she muttered.

"Don't thank me yet," Link replied, "we're still not out of this mess, yet. As you can see, we're too far away from the platform."

Saria gasped out. "But, then how…"

Link chuckled a bit, staring into her eyes. "Do you trust me?" he asked.

She fumbled for words a bit, but finally nodded her head. "Yes, of course!"

Suddenly, without warning, Link released the grapple and quickly spun it around mid-air as they fell towards the pit. He quickly fired it again and it latched firmly onto the grating near the wall. He pulled them in, but strangely, he felt a heat surround him, and then his load suddenly felt lighter. He pulled himself out and gasped out.

Saria screamed from within the grasp of the fire dragon, Volvagia, squirming in its left claw to try and break free, but to no avail. She turned to the young man, clad in green, standing before them. "Liiiink!!" she cried out.

Link was stunned. He reached his hand out, again. "Saria!"

The dragon roared; its prey now in its grasp. The foolish boy would pay for what he had done, and then the girl would become a fine feast, worthy of the trouble it had caused. The dragon blew flames about, almost as if it was showing its strength, laughing at the creature before it.

Link eyed the gem in its forehead. The object was cracked down the center, sparks glowing from the center, casting an eerie light. _'That must be it! I have to destroy it!'_ he told himself.

Volvagia stood at the end of the grating ahead, its claw clenched tightly around Saria, her long green hair flowing downwards… Far longer than he had ever seen it before… Distracted by this spectacle, he was unable to dodge a swipe of the dragon's other claw.

Link found himself go flying, rolling along the grating on the other side of the cavern. The dragon roared. Saria screamed. Link said nothing. He simply jumped back to his feet, just in time to see the dragon's flames shoot out towards him.

With no time to dodge it, and no place to go, Link did all he could do… He pulled out the Hylian Shield and tried his best to block the flames threatening his life. His body was pushed back as the weight of the fires pressured his shield, but the flames were held at bay none the less. Finally, the dragon realized that its barrage had failed. It backed down, now, and Link was able to replace his shield.

The creature flew up into the air once again, lunging for Link. This time Link knew that he could not try a simple dodge. If the dragon could not stop, Saria might be suffocated between the body of the fiery creature and the wall. No, instead, he had a different idea.

Link pulled out his grapple again and shot it at the central pillar, the hook tightening around the pinnacle. He pulled himself in, and immediately, the dragon turned its sights that way. Link climbed up, balancing himself along the top, and then whipped out his bow, firing an arrow straight at the beast before it had time to react.

The arrow pierced the gem in the creature's forehead, and at last, it shattered, seeming to melt away into a black mist. The dragon roared out, flying about. Saria fell from it's grasp and into the abyss, crying out. Acting quickly, Link shot the grapple towards the platform above her and swung down.

Saria felt gravity pull her towards the fire below. She cried out, bellowing, fearing… Suddenly, though, she felt strong arms wrap around her. She smiled and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, holding on for dear life, and at the same time, feeling the need for him…

Link caressed her, gently, brushing a hand through her hair, staring into her eyes. "Don't sorry, Saria, its okay… Everything will be alright… I got you, now… Everything's okay…"

Saria cried, burying her head into his chest. "Thank you…" she muttered, softly.


	15. Spirit of Winds

**The Legend of Zelda: The Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 15: Spirit of Winds**_

Link pulled himself over the edge of the grating, Saria clinging tightly to him. She rolled off and onto the grating, and Link quickly detached his Grapple Shot and hung it from his belt. In the midst of all the commotion, he barely noticed the heat of the crater. Now it began to swell up even greater. He felt sweat pouring down his brow. Regardless, it was done. Saria was safe, and that's what mattered.

Saria, on the other hand, fared quite a bit better than he. She merely wore a small miniskirt and a tiny shirt that just covered her chest. This wasn't by her will, though, so Link couldn't blame her. The Masans had stripped her of her clothes, giving her only the bare essentials. The reasoning, though, was mostly due to the heat as opposed to anything else.

As Link regained his footing and began to proceed back, Saria immediately jumped back onto her feet and held onto him. "Don't leave me, again!" she demanded, almost in tears.

Link nodded his held, pulling her up next to him. "No, of course not… I wouldn't do that, especially after what happened here. Come on, let's go."

The girl nodded, clinging tightly to him as they made their way back over to the front side of the stone pillar. Ahead, right at the center, on the mark of the Triforce, the dragon lay there. The gem that Link remembered seeing before, embedded into the beast's forehead, now lay on the grating beneath its head.

The boy approached, but not wanting Saria to get hurt, he tried to make her stay back. However, she wouldn't let go of his arm, so he reluctantly neared the dragon and the strange gem. The red jewel glistened in the glow of the fires below…

Suddenly, the beast's head reared itself up again. Link backed away, drawing his sword. Saria, frightened, slipped behind him, feeling protected by his strong arms and his courage. The dragon now turned its head to the figures below it, eying them carefully. Suddenly, it did the thing that both of them least expected.

"**Ah… Who is it that has awakened my spirit?"** the dragon stated.

Link gasped. "Y… You can _talk_?!"

It nodded. **"Why, of course, young warrior. You may be familiar with that beastly creature known as 'Volvagia,' but now I have returned to my right state of mind. The cursed gem you see is what did this to me for all these many hundreds of years…"**

As expected, the dragon, apparently not 'Volvagia,' motioned to the red gem lying on the ground. It then turned back to face Link, again. **"In times ancient past, they have called me 'Valoo,' the Wind Spirit. You may refer to me by that name.'**

Link nodded, slipping his sword back into his sheath. Saria was a little hesitant to come out, but finally she came out beside him. "Hmm… So, then, _Valoo_… How did you come to be in this state?"

Valoo nodded his head. **"The dark one you both know well—perhaps even more than either of you realized—may have released me from my slumber as a being of destruction, but the cause of my curse dates to long ages past, where dragons were a greatly feared thing. I made the unfortunate mistake of trying to quell such a rebellion, and ultimately, the Gods cursed me by turning me into that vile creature, until a brave hero would come and release me from my curse."**

Link chuckled. "And I'm that hero, huh?" he asked, knowingly.

"**Indeed,"** the dragon answered in reply.

His shoulders sagged as he sighed once again. "Well, I guess some things can't be avoided," he muttered out.

Finally, Link felt a nudge on his left shoulder. Glancing back, he saw Saria standing there. "Hmm?"

Saria hesitated. "I, er… I don't mean to interrupt, but shouldn't be get going now? Before we burn up?"

Link chuckled, but then finally nodded. Saria was less likely to collapse from exhaustion, but he was already feeling the heat. He managed to last well enough thus far without the need for a Goron Tunic, but it would've been better if he had requested one; it simply didn't come to his mind until now.

"Yes," he finally replied, "that would be the ideal choice."

"**For the longest time,"** Valoo stated, butting into the conversation, **"the Gorons living here had a secret entrance through a cave at the lower path. From what I have heard, it seems that it is now in fact where the Gorons live."**

Link nodded. "Yes, that's true. Behind the Goron Elder's chamber is a secret passage into the mountain. Unfortunately, this place has changed so much that I don't know where the passage is now."

Saria sighed. "I won't be of much help, either. A ways after we left the castle town, I was struggling so much that the soldier whom bore me had hit me and knocked me out. I woke up tied to that stone pillar."

Link lowered his head, scratching his chin. "Hmm… Well, we're not going to get anywhere just standing around. Come on, Saria, let's go."

She smiled, still clinging tightly onto him. "Yes, let's…"

"**If you ever need my wisdom, come and see me, little ones…"** Valoo added as they headed out.

Saria smiled and waved back. "We will!" she called out.

The two headed back to the outer rim and Link directed Saria to the left of the path leading back into the Fire Temple. He hadn't taken much time to worry about the layout of the cavern. Now, though, he studied it more thoroughly. Looking around, he still saw the three stone pillars jutting out from the molten rock below, but noted that most of the stone walkways that were below had collapsed into the lava over the past twenty years. Of course, this is what the grating was for.

At the far end of the cavern, he saw where the grating met solid ground. The grating was quite high up compared to where the former platforms were, so it was level with the ground near the entrance. He had been so focused on the battle before that he didn't notice the entrance to the cavern that led back out Death Mountain. However, he still didn't see the entrance to the Goron City. As he recalled, it was always much lower…

His eyes shifted back to the where the entrance should be. The stone pathway leading to it was gone, but finally he saw it—quite a ways below them. He also saw that a path had been cut out of the stone walls nearby and the grating followed it down into an arc until it met up with the secret passage to Goron City. Down there, the stone path was still in place. He also saw another cave entrance a little ways passed that path, but it was blocked off by a boulder.

Well, this was certainly interesting, but at least he now knew where to go. He gripped Saria's hand with his left hand, and motioned to the path with his right. "This is where we must go," he stated.

She nodded, but didn't say anything. Link led her down to the path and entered the small cave-like entrance to Goron City. She hesitated. Doubts flooded into her mind. Surely the path was being guarded, was it not? However, she knew she had to press on. She followed behind Link and the darkness of the tunnel took them…

The tunnel was long and narrow. It was definitely cooling down, though, and Saria started to feel better. However, the calm stopped…

Three Masan warriors, two of them clearly mere guards, but the third appearing much like a general, stood in the way. A small blockade not unlike the one the Gorons made was behind the guards, and another pair of guards was in the other side.

As their leader approached, Link immediately let of Saria and pushed her behind him. He removed his blade and held it with both hands, protecting her. However, the Masan simply held up his hand. "Peace," the man stated.

Link grimaced. "Like the peace you showed to—"

"I am Captain Baask of Masa," he proclaimed. "I was watching you before and overheard what came after. I must deftly apologize for what had transpired, but I now know the truth. We were tricked by the witch. I have already sent a messenger back to our king, and now I have waited for you to come so I could report this back to you. We will return to Hyrule Castle and condemn ourselves for what had happened, and then proceed to help rebuild. I know it cannot undo the damage, but it is the least we can do to show our sincerity."

The expression on the boy's face lessened, but Link still wasn't fully convinced. However, he sheathed his sword, anyway. "And what about Saria?"

Baask nodded. "Yet again, I am sorry for the trouble I have caused you. The girl didn't purposely unleash this, so the blame cannot be thrown to her. Undoubtedly she herself is troubled by this, so it is not fair for us to act so rash. You had best take her with you."

Link nodded, smiling. "I intended on it."

At last, Saria spoke up, coming out of hiding from behind Link. "So… what about the blockades?" she asked.

Baask nodded. He raised his had and snapped his fingers. "Bring it down," he stated.

He spoke in a deep voice of recognition. He was demanding, yet humble. He was the embodiment of a true leader; one who could take control when needed, but still one that people admire and are willing to listen to. Just with that statement alone, Link suddenly found this man to be much more likable than he had before.

As ordered by their boss, the guards slowly took apart the small barricade piece by piece. Soon, the path was clear, and then moved forward. Baask moved out and followed, also beckoning Link and Saria to come with. They did so, and came out into Darunia's chamber.

The goron elder did not seem to be here at this time. However, he entered a short while later, arms crossed. "I see that things have cleared up now," he stated.

Baask approached him and bowed. "As I have told Link before, I am sorry for the trouble caused."

Darunia shook his head. "It is fine. Proceed on your way. I have some matters here to discuss first."

Baask nodded and led his men out of the chamber, and out of the cavern that made up the city of gorons all-together. Link approached Darunia, raising an eyebrow. "Something to discuss…?"

The goron laughed out. "You have done well, Link. I knew I could count on you. There is something that I have been told to give to you. You may find it of use sometime soon."

Slowly, he handed the small red medallion to Link. Link nodded his head, slipping it into his pocket next to the other one. "Thank you."

"No, thank you…"


	16. Race to Freedom

**The Legend of Zelda: The Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 16: Race to Freedom**_

Link and Saria made their way back out of the cavern and to the trail to head back down the mountain. Along the way, Link picked up his horse, and they also encountered Baask again, who returned Saria's tunic to her. After she fully dressed herself once again, Link mounted the horse and Saria climbed on behind him, wrapping her arms around his stomach for support.

Link never did tell Saria about the horse. She had some curiosities, but never asked, and he never told. Instead, she simply focused on him, and only him. That's all she needed right now to feel safe. She barely paid attention to their surroundings, but knew that they were heading back down Death Mountain. The barricade made up and guarded by Link-Goro had also been taken apart, and the Goron standing by there was gone.

Soon, they came back upon the split that veered right off towards Eastern Hyrule, and left off to Kakariko Village. Link began to veer to the left, deciding to pass through Kakariko on the way back to the ranch. Saria didn't know where he had planned to go, nor did she care. However, she was surprised when he came to a sudden halt.

Link narrowed his eyes as a figure made its way up from Kakariko Village. He apparently knew this person, but Saria did not recognize who it was. "Y…you!"

The cloaked figure turned and saw Link there. It was a male, or so it appeared, clad in blue garments mixed with some white. The figure's face was completely covered up with wrappings except for the nose and eyes. He blinked in surprise then quickly mounted the horse he was walking.

"Crap…" the person muttered out as it sped off towards the north.

Both Link and Saria heard the comment.

Link quickly clacked the reins together. "I'm sorry Malon, but I must take another detour… Hang in there, girl, hang in there!"

Saria gasped in surprise as the horse suddenly sped off toward the figure, racing at high speeds.

"Malon…?"

Link did not hear her. Well, either that or he just ignored the comment.

The chase intensified as Link's horse, whatever she was, rode swiftly in the fields up behind the lead horse, where the cloaked figure rode. The figure tried to sway off to the side to evade Link and escape him, but was unable to do so. Link was a swift rider and was able to easily follow behind. However, it didn't keep the opponent from trying…

The foreign rider spun right, then left, then right two more times. Saria quickly realized that, wherever this person was going, he didn't want to be followed. He kept turning back to see if he had lost them, then quickly changed directions again. The field was wide and large, so he could do this for the longest time. Why Link was so persistent in catching this guy, though, Saria could not determine.

Despite all the twists and turns, Link's horse was slowly catching up with the rival's horse. The opponent cursed and kicked his feet together, trying to get his horse to go faster. However, Link soon came up beside the other rider. "Give up, Relm! You can fool me!"

Saria raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Relm groaned. "No way!" he replied, calling back to Link.

…or perhaps that wasn't a he. _She_ was no longer hiding _her_ voice any longer, Saria realized. That was clearly a female voice. Why disguise as a male, though? Well, actually, it made perfect sense… What better way to fool someone than disguising one's self as a member of the opposite gender?

Whatever the case, it appeared that this 'Relm' wasn't giving up yet. She was determined not to let Link follow her to her destination. She quickly pulled on the reins and her horse skidded to a stop, much to Link's surprise. She turned her horse in the opposite direction and rode off.

Link quickly pulled onto the reins and the horse jumped onto its hind legs. Saria gasped out, afraid of falling, but it simply spun around and galloped after the other rider. The girl felt relieved to be on the ground again.

The race continued. Relm had managed to get a head start and was already a long ways ahead. As Link began to catch up, she suddenly stopped again and raced in the opposing direction once again. Link had little time to slow down, stop, and turn around, before he could move after her once more. They had run alongside a river, and now Relm raced on to the bridge to cross. Link would've just crossed the river, but it was too wide and too swift.

Relm was already on the other side when he finally reached the bridge. It was a long, wide bridge, but there was no rail on either side of it. Regardless, he raced on across, anyway, and quickly made it to the other side. Relm was already off into the mountains, but he still saw the trail she left behind. He nodded and pushed Malon to go in that direction.

Throughout this entire time, Saria had no idea why Link was so persistent in catching that girl. Whatever the case may be, though, she had no objections and simply held onto him. No matter what he did, she wanted to be there with him. She wasn't about to be left behind again.

Relm arrived safely back on her own turf—the Mountain Village of the Sheikah. It was a secret village built as a refuge for the survivors of the Sheikah Tribe in the plateau region northeast of Hyrule Castle, north of Death Mountain, and southeast of Snowpeak Mountain.

She herself wasn't a Sheikah, but it was home to her. Relm's mentor had found her as a child, orphaned and alone, and took her in, raising her up as a member of the tribe. To disguise herself from outsiders, she was given these garments and the alias 'Sheik.' In secret, she had been watching over Princess Zelda, but no one else was supposed to know this.

She had given a sigh of relief upon realizing that she had made it back here without that boy finding out where she had gone. It took some trickery, but it was well-worth it.

Of course, after leaving the castle, she did learn of the commotion that had taken place in the city. However, everything was cleared by the time she had made it back there. With nothing to assist in, she simply returned to conclude her business in Kakariko Village. Who would've known that Link happened to be coming down from the mountain JUST as she concluded her business, though? That was uncanny.

As she approached the small village, the elder came out to greet her. The elder was a woman in her mid-forties; rather old by Relm's perspective, but still not old enough to be given the status as an 'elderly' person would. However, as founder, the woman was still considered to be village elder, despite the fact that there were people living in the village that were older than even her.

Relm dismounted her horse and walked over to the woman, whom stopped at the gate leading into the village. She removed the wrappings from her face, pulled down the hood, and then bowed before the woman. "I have returned, Master," she stated.

The woman nodded her head. "And in one piece I see," she proclaimed. "Did you have any trouble along the way?"

Relm nodded. "Yes, a little, but I managed to escape it."

The woman smiled and shook her head, her gaze lifted from the girl on the ground. Relm looked up, surprised. "I'm afraid that you have not," she stated.

Fear struck her eyes. She jumped to her feet and spun around, seeing what she dreaded most of all.

Link dismounted from his horse, Saria behind her. Then, he approached. "Hmm… Nice maneuvers you pulled off back there. Unfortunately for you, you leave pretty good tracks." After finishing his mock statement, he glanced around and then opened his mouth again. "So, what is this place?"

The village elder crossed her arms, smile. "So we meet again," she proclaimed.

Link turned to the woman, narrowing his eyes. He suddenly gasped out. "I… Impa?!"

Impa nodded. "Yes, so you remember. I've spent the last fifteen years building this village as a safe haven for my people. I see that you have already met Relm. Do not fear, Link; you two are on the same side. Also…"

The woman turned her eyes down to Relm, whom was greatly startled by the events that has transpired. "Relm, this is not an intrusion. Your timing was planned just right so that Link would follow you here and learn what he must do. You have done nothing wrong by failing to keep him from finding his way here."

Relm raised an eyebrow. "M-master… I do not understand…"

Impa nodded. "Of course not. Do not fret, young one. You will know soon enough."

Relm sighed, but then slowly nodded her head. "Alright, then, I shall await the answers."

Impa smiled, but quickly set her gaze upon Link again. "You have come a long way, and after your previous trials, too, no less. You may rest in a guest bedroom for the night. Relm may show you the way."

Link nodded, but was somewhat surprised by the comments. "Oh-kay… So do all sages know about me?!"

Impa chuckled. "Zelda is the key one here. She has referred most of the information to us. She alerted me of your presence here long before it was to come. I'll admit that I find it surprising that you're still so young, but I've seen stranger things in the past."

The boy chuckled, placing a hand on his thigh. "Heh, tell me about it…" he muttered.

Suddenly, something moved from behind Link. Saria at last came out, bowing slightly. "I'm sorry to trouble you. I seem to be the one that knows less about this situation than anyone else, and it all still confuses me. However, right now, I'd just like a place to relax and think things through. Can I go to my room now?"

The sheikah nodded. She turned to Relm. "Take her to her room," she stated. "Hers is Room 16. You should know which building it is."

Relm nodded. "Of course," she replied, before promptly walking over to Saria and motioning for her to come. "Follow me."

Saria and Relm left, and at last, Link was able to have a private conversation with Impa. "So, who is she?" he asked.

Impa nodded. "She is being kept here for the safety of this land of Hyrule. A power she bares could spell trouble in the future, so it was split apart, and she was taken here. You will learn the full truth soon enough."

Link sighed. "Indeed. That helps me somewhat, but it's still all confusing me. I just… don't know where all the pieces fit together."

The woman chuckled. "Heh… Actually, we're in the same boat. I know very little about what is actually going on. Zelda has told me a few things, but many things are still very ambiguous. I suspect that she will tell everything soon, once more of the pieces fit together. At this moment, though, I can't say much, except to wait. You will learn more information in the morning; that I can guarantee, but some will come later. For now, get some rest."

He nodded in reply. "Yes, of course… and thank you."

She nodded. "My pleasure."


	17. Saria's Worry

**Author's Note(s)**: Okay, three new chapters, as promised! Personally, this one right here's my favorite thus far. Hey, as noted before, I'm a Link/Saria shipper, so here's a major Link/Saria fluff scene. So, why have I made Saria so angsty? Meh, just part of how it all plays together. And no, I'm not pulling this out of my ass, in case any of you were wondering (though I doubt that's the case); I don't have a strict outline of the entire fic, but I do know what I want to do. Generally, when I need to go further in the outline, I'll do the next few chapters, write the chapters, then update the outline again. (Of course, I'm the only one who has access. )

On another note, I've actually ALREADY started Chapter 18 by the time I posted this. I know, I posted it a little late. I've been meaning to for a while. Ironically, I've actually also recently updated this chapter, especially the beginning of Scene 2. Lastly, the fic also has a link between the two scenes that consists of the song "Yours to Hold" by Skillet. However, of course, this could not be added in the version. It IS in the deviantART version, though.

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: The Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 17: Saria's Worry**_

The village was small and few people lived here. There were some lingering about, but most had already returned to their homes. Approximately fifteen people lived in this village, most of whom knew the same arts that Impa and Relm knew. Clearly, these were the remnants of what remained of the long-forgotten Sheikah Tribe.

Link and Saria were both placed in the same building, but of course in different rooms. This building seemed to be an extra place for storage and guests. Relm also stayed in this building, which provided further proof that she was not part of the tribe. However, he did know that she had lived with these people for as long as she could remember. Impa didn't explain the full details, so some things were left a mystery.

As he made his way upstairs, he saw Relm finishing up with Saria. Relm then left, and Saria made her way back to her room. However, there seemed to be something notably wrong with Saria's expression. He didn't want to pressure her, though, so he simply opened the door to his room and went in. Behind him, he could hear Saria entering into her own room. He turned back to face her. "Goodnight," he said.

Saria glanced back in surprise. "G-goodnight…" she stated, before disappearing into the room.

Something was bothering her. He knew it. It was so obvious, but she seemed too distant right now. He felt that it would be best to leave her be and head straight to bed, which is what he did. Link slipped into the room and closed the door behind him.

He sat down on the bed—admittedly not nearly as comfortable as the bed from Hyrule Castle, yet still clean and soft—then kicked his shoes off onto the ground. He lay in the bed, not bothering to even try and change his clothes, and just stared at the ceiling. Link tried to dose off, but Saria kept coming to his mind. Something was bothering her and he didn't know why. She didn't seem to have any interest in telling him, either.

He yawned and reached over to pull the blanket over him and drift to sleep, but then he heard a door opening. Strange… Who would be up this late at night? Footsteps walked down the hallway... away from his position. Immediately he jumped up and slipped his shoes back on. He carefully made his way to the door and quietly slid it open.

Down the hall to the left, at the far end, he saw Saria turn right and open a door. Impa had told him about this before. The path led onto a back patio, then further onward to a set of stairs which led higher into the mountains, providing a great view of the landscape around them. Relm must've mentioned it to Saria, and now Saria decided to get some alone time. Link wouldn't have it, though. He wanted to know what was going on.

He moved as fast as he could without alerting her of his presence. He stayed a fare distance behind so she wouldn't notice him, but still close enough that he wouldn't lose her. She wasn't moving fast, though, so it was quite easy. Actually, perhaps it was a little too easy. He had to force himself to slow down every now and then in order to avoid catching up to her.

Her long green hair glistened in the moonlight. Without that cloak she always wore, he could now distinguish her features very clearly. She was definitely much taller than she was last time he saw her—she was just a small little girl while he was rapidly growing. Her hair had grown long, down to about mid-back. Another notable difference was in her chest area. Though he could not see it from here, he had seen earlier that puberty had apparently already passed over her, but he dared not stay on that subject any longer.

Saria pressed on, oblivious to the fact that she was being followed. The path went up only a short more before it became level. This really was just a small plateau that had formed throughout these areas. This region wasn't actually very mountainous, just hilly; the mountains, save for Death Mountain, of course, were further to the north.

At last, Saria slowed to a halt at the edge of the cliff ahead. The plateau upon which they now stood was very rocky, but there was a magnificent view of Eastern Hyrule off into the distance. Link found the spectacle breathtaking.

Saria fell to her knees, looking out over the edge. She scanned the horizon, not appearing to be searching for anything in particular. Suddenly, she started crying… crying! "Why me…?" she muttered amongst her sobs.

Link knew that he couldn't simply stand there and watch this. He walked forward, kneeling down next to her. She then realized he was there and turned to him. His eyes locked with hers. "Are you alright…?" he asked.

She lowered her head. "I don't know…"

He placed a hand on her left shoulder. "Come on, what's wrong?"

She sighed. "You'd never believe me if I told you… how I, such a cheerful, naïve little girl merely five years ago, has become such a wretch…"

Link shook his head. "Don't say that, Saria."

She turned to him, anger burning in her eyes. "Then what do you want me to say?!" she demanded.

Link sighed. "I want you...to smile…"

She suddenly lurched towards him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. Link immediately replied by wrapping his arms around her shoulders, caressing her gently. Now she spoke again. "What did I do to deserve this…?"

"Deserve what?" he asked.

"I've caused so much pain and suffering… The people of Hyrule Castle Town—they are now without homes, some without lives or family, because of me. If I had not found that accursed scepter, none of this would've happened. The witch, the sorceress… She used that knowledge to make the kingdom of Masa attack its neighboring country, a very close ally. The evil power spread to the land of Ordon, where the rulers corrupted, driving their people out into the southern forests of Hyrule. The ranch owner, Malon, was transformed into a mere animal because that evil power corrupted the ranch hand and gave him an accursed medallion. All of this was my fault, and that is only the beginning. Volvagia was revived from the ashes, and yet an even darker power that we have not yet even fathomed is soon to appear… Something that will put all else to shame. Minds, souls, and sometimes, even bodies, are being corrupted by her dark influence, which I brought upon this world… Everything, all this… It's all my fault!"

She burst into tears again, pushing away. Link shook his head. He reached forward, brushing a hand through her hair. He slid forward a bit, turning over to face her. She turned away, but he persisted. "Saria, you couldn't have possibly known that those things would happen… If anything, it is my fault… You went out in search of me. You found it by accident, when you were looking for me. Don't blame yourself for all of this."

Saria sighed. She leaned over, laying her head in his lap, her long green hair flowing freely down into his lap. "Just… hold me…" she muttered.

Link did just that. He pulled her near to him and she leaned into his chest once more. "I'm sorry…" she muttered.

He should his head. "Don't worry about it."

"I… I just… I just feel so miserable right now… Cast out of my tribe, unable to find you, unleashing this evil upon the world… It's so much to bear…"

He nodded his head. "Yes, it may be, but you do not have to bear it alone. I'm here to help."

She sunk in, tears pouring down again, soaking his tunic. He did not care, though. He just wanted to hold her, to protect her…

"Maybe we should move?" he asked, motioning toward a grassy area a little ways off the path. A single tree stood in this section.

She looked, and then nodded. "…alright…"

Link stood up then reached his hand down. She grasped it tightly, pulling herself up off the ground. They made their way toward the tree. Link sat down and leaned up next to it, while Saria lay down at his feet, resting her head on his lap. "Mmm… So tired…" she muttered.

The young hero smiled as she drifted into deep sleep. Link wrapped his arms around her, holding her, protecting her from whatever it is that may be haunting her. He just sat there are short while, but then found himself yawning. He was getting tired, too. Finding the best comfort he could, he at last passed into slumber…

_**XXXXX**_

Saria slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurred slightly, but slowly, things came together… She sat up, glancing around at the hilly region around her. "Where… am I…?" she asked, stuttering on the words.

She was startled when a hand touched her head, coming through her hair. "Mmm… So you're up, I see."

She blinked in surprise then turned around. Link was sitting there, leaning against the tree. Saria gasped out, but then remembered the events of the previous day. Tears streamed from her eyes, and she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around him. "So it wasn't a dream!" she cried out.

Link chuckled a bit. He wrapped his arms around her and held her there, smiling. "Of course it wasn't."

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. Saria backed away, staring into his eyes. "Wait a minute, how long have you been awake?"

Link chuckled, but then opened his mouth. "Not long," he answered in reply. I've only been awake approximately thirty minutes or so."

Saria nodded. "Alright, then… You weren't… uncomfortable, were you?" she asked, worry in her eyes.

The young man shook his head. "No, I wasn't. I felt very good, actually."

She smiled and sat up next to him, leaning her head against his shoulder. She turned to the sky, watching the morning sun come over the world. It was still early, it seemed, and a red aura was cast upon the hills, creating a spectacular, reddish-orange glow. Saria had to concentrate hard so she wouldn't stop taking in air. The sight was… breathtaking…

"It's so beautiful," she muttered softly.

Link nodded in reply. "Yeah…" he stated.

Saria felt a warm glow overflow within her. However, it soon passed. The dark, haunting memories returned, despite her best efforts to keep them at bay. She sniffled, but made attempts to hide her tears.

Link noticed this. He turned away from the sunrise and reached down, brushing the tears away with his hand. "It's okay to cry. Don't hold back; let it flow freely. If you hold it back, it'll only build up inside; distorting, growing worse and worse until all that will remain is a hollow shell of emptiness and sorrow."

She began to cry again, burying her head into his chest, wrapping her arms tightly around him, not wishing for him to let go… She felt safe in his arms, safe from the pain and suffering and the sorrow… Yet she knew the truth. No matter how hard she tried, she could not push it away. It was ever growing in her mind. She knew that it would overcome…

Right now, though; right here, at this instance, she felt something that she had never felt before. A warm glow seemed to envelop her body. She did not see anything, but she could feel it… A similar instance had occurred to her before, when he first decided to leave Hyrule… He held her in his arms and this sensation appeared. Now, it was stronger than ever…

She felt a hand push her hair back… Link began to brush back the green strands that hung in front of her face, hiding herself from the world. The strange feeling continued to grow and she found herself clutching onto him. This feeling… it was something… a Kokiri was never supposed to feel… The Kokiri never reached such an age to feel this, yet she did… She did before she even left the forest, when he was there…

Now, she slowly began to realize… just what she was feeling… This warmth… must be love…

A figure suddenly appeared above the edge of the hill, calling out to them. "I'm sorry to spoil the fun for you two love birds, but we've got company!"

Saria blushed. _'L-love birds…?'_ she realized that this was true, though, or at least for her… She was in love with her best friend…who knew just how to comfort her…

Link suddenly let go and Saria, weak-kneed, was unable to stand. She collapsed down, falling onto her knees in the grass. She just stared at the ground, blankly.

"H-hey… L-love-birds...?" Link called back; clearly furious.

Saria sighed. She was afraid to admit it, but it seemed that she was right…These feelings she felt… He didn't feel them…

Relm groaned, slapping her forehead. "Just get over here! Master Impa is trying to reason with the enemy, but I sense that a battle is about to ensue."

Link nodded. He turned back to face Saria, kneeling down next to her. "Stay here, Saria, it's too dangerous!"

Saria simply continued to stare at the ground. Finally, Link stood up and left. Tears began to pour from her eyes again. She shook her head and jumped to her feet, racing after him. "N-no!" she cried. "I'm going with you!"

Link shook his head. "I can't let you do that; it's too dangerous!"

She was stern, though, and would not be denied. "I can fight! If nothing else, I'll snipe out the enemy with my bow!"

Link sighed. "Alright, then, it seems that I can't change your mind. Let's go."

Saria was still irritated by what he did to her just a moment ago, but she wasn't going to be left behind, again… never again…


	18. Moblin Hoard

**The Legend of Zelda: The Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 18: Moblin Hoard**_

Link and Saria quickly rushed back down the hillside and back to the building. Relm stood in the hall, directing them down the stairs. Link nodded and raced after her, Saria following quickly behind. They soon came out of the building and to a startling discovery…

Some of the other buildings in the village had been started on fire. A few of the villagers tried to douse the flames, but fiery arrows were being launched by bokoblins along the ridge near the entrance, which was to their right. A group of bokoblins mounted on large warthogs stood near the entrance, where Impa and a number other Sheikah stood with weapons drawn.

Impa was trying to reason with the leader, a large Moblin. It, too, was mounted on a warthog, but it was notably larger than the others.

"Master!" Relm called out, racing ahead.

Link chased after her. "Relm, Impa!"

Saria followed behind Link, but preferred to say nothing. She did draw out her bow, though; that being the Fairy Bow from the Forest Temple.

The head Moblin raised a spear, laughing wildly. "Who is this boy?" it growled in a deep, haunting voice.

Link charged between the lines, baring his weapon tightly in his hand. Saria came up from behind, but Relm blocked her and shook her head. "It's too dangerous," she whispered, "use that bow of yours if you like, but stay away from actual combat."

Saria reluctantly agreed and backed away, but still wished she could remain beside Link.

The Moblin ignored Saria and Realm's exchange and simply kept his concentration set on Link. He laughed out, again. "Oouwahahahaha! Foolish! I come not to play with children, but to retrieve the item my master has commanded me to find…" as he stated this, his eyes turned to Relm. More specifically, though, he turned to something that hung from her neck.

All eyes suddenly turned to her in surprise, save for Impa. Even Relm was surprise. She began to back away, but the red pendant tucked beneath her shirt shifted in the swift move made and it slid out, positioning itself down in front of her, this time not hidden underneath her clothing.

"Run!" Impa called out. "You must not let them get that pendant!"

Relm stared in disbelief, but at last nodded her head. She slipped it back into the cover of her shirt and pulled out twin daggers from her side for protection. The Moblin blew his horn, and immediately, the forces charged forward.

Almost as suddenly, Impa raised her hand and cried out, then through it forward. "Fire!"

Streams of arrows launched from snipers hidden in the buildings, trees, and hills. Saria, going along with the rest, fired hers as well.

A couple dozen of the bokoblins collapsed, but more kept coming. For some, two sat on every individual hog and the second took over. On others, the hog collapsed, knocking the bokoblins off. In yet other cases, the bokoblins were knocked off while the hog continued on its own, with some even having passengers or riders on another jumping shift to man the now unmanned one.

Save for the lead moblin, the army had been a good twenty feet away from the line of Sheikah determined to protect their home. Now, the lines collided. The Sheikah did not move. Instead, they waited for the enemy to approach.

Passenger bokoblins used bows to fire at the sheikah men and women. However, very few actually fell from arrow fire. Once the riders hit the line, everyone burst into action. Almost simultaneously, everyone was able to dodged the first round and not get trampled by the oncoming enemy. Sword swung, arrows flew, and the enemy riders fell to the ground.

Sheikah also fell, though. For approximately every five fallen bokoblins, there would be one fallen Sheikah. There weren't many to begin with. Most of the remaining Sheikah left alive were found and brought to this village. Now there would soon be less.

Out of all those who fought that day, none fought better than Link himself. He swung viciously with his long sword, cutting down both bokoblins and warthogs. He hadn't bothered to try and face the lead moblin, for he stood a ways beyond the army of advancing fiends; all of which were related to typical everyday goblins.

Saria, on the other hand, also faired quite well, but her position on the ground proved difficult to maintain. Instead, a female Sheikah archer had led her to a balcony on one of the buildings which were better suited for sniping out enemies. Saria wasn't a master bowman, but she did have quite a bit of practice over the last give years.

Her routine here had transformed into throwing an arrow into the bow, aiming, and then launching, all in a matter of seconds. She had managed to take down almost a couple dozen bokoblins, but had even pulled down a few warthogs, as well. There were too many enemies to worry about accurately aiming, so it was best off this way.

A hog suddenly charged pass with the lead bokoblin slashing down with his sword. Link blocked with his own blade, and then swung his arm up to grab onto the enemy's arm. This greatly surprised the goblin-like creature, but it still held on firmly and Link was dragged away. The hero wasn't going to go down lightly, though. He gripped his foot against the side of the raging, giant pig, and used the momentum to fling himself into the air.

Saria gasped in horror, holding her breath, but let go again a short while later. Link had spun around through the air, kicking the passenger off of the warthog, and landing back down into the place where the former bokoblin had sat. After this, it was simple work slicing down the driver, whom remained stunned at the maneuver even as its head was severed from the rest of its body.

Relm, who was standing amidst the buildings a few hundred feet behind the battle line, cutting down anything that came her way, glared in the direction of the rogue warthog being tamed by the green-clad warrior, Link. She grimaced. "Show off!"

Link turned to her, pulling the giant hog to a stop, and gave her a thumbs-up. He then turned back and directed the hog toward the oncoming army.

In the midst of this, Relm was distracted and her senses off-balance. She never noticed the incoming arrow from a bokoblin that had newly taken a post at the rocky outlet near the village entrance. Impa saw, though.

The elder sheikah spun around. "Relm, look out!"

Saria blinked in surprise as she heard this. She turned as saw what Impa was referring to. Acting quickly, she launched an arrow in the direction of the archer.

Relm turned to see the archer fire just seconds before an arrow pierced his stomach. She gasped in surprised, mesmerized… stunned beyond all belief.

Time slowed to a crawl. Link spun around stopping mid-stride. "R-E-L-M-! G-E-T A-W-A-Y!" the slow, monotone voice called out.

Relm ducked to the left as the arrow pierced past her right shoulder. Suddenly, time flowed normally, again.

She spun a complete one hundred and eighty degrees, crying out from pain. She fell to her knees, holding the blood-soaked shoulder firmly with her left hand. Beneath her, the shimmering ruby pendant slipped from out of her shirt once again. However, she did not pay attention to that. She was worried about the piercing pain from her shoulder.

Unfortunately for her, someone else noticed her new state of terror. Actually, everyone did. Both friend and enemy stopped all at once. The large boar that _bore_ the great moblin, leader of the pack, charged through the lines. Link quickly positioned the hog he was riding in front of the moblin, but the opponent slammed him and the boy was thrown off to the side, the boar in the opposite direction.

Finally, Impa snapped everyone back into attention. She pointed toward the large boar, crying out. "Shoot him! Shoot him! Take him down, NOW!"

The archers shook of the stunned expressions that had grown on their faces and immediately started launching arrows down at the lead moblin, Saria included. She did what she had done before; launching, reloading, and launching again. It was less accurate than she would've hoped, but it was an urgent situation.

The Sheikah warriors began to race for the leader, but the goblin-like creatures blocked them off. Archers continued to fire down from the walls, aiming specifically for the Sheikah archers. A few fell, but most were cleverly hidden. That didn't stop the oncoming arrows.

The moblin had become a large skewer. Arrows stuck out of his body and out from his hog. However, he wasn't too fazed by it. The small piercing pricks stung, but barely dented his thick skin. They slowed him down a bit, but didn't physically hurt him.

Relm suddenly found herself being lifted up by the neck. Having lost a lot of blood, she was weakened and remained helpless as the powerful creature raised her from the ground. The pendant glimmered in the light of the sun, and the moblin snatched it from her neck. It choked her slightly, but it was thin material keeping the band together and it snapped quickly.

The moblin stared into the depths of the jewel, smiling cruelly. He turned around, raising the pendant in his hand. "Victory! Now to the castle!"

Link blinked in surprise. "No!" he cried out.

The boar raced back and the bokoblins fled. However, at the same time, archer fire stopped. The gigantic beast held Relm out in front of him, using her as a bargaining tool. He knew that so long as they had her, they would do nothing. Even the Sheikah warriors left alive and positioned themselves on the sidelines.

The young boy clad in green was not yet done, though. Link jumped to his feet and brandished his weapon, stepping in front of the moblin rider. "Stop!" he demanded.

The moblin laughed again. "Foolish boy! So you've come back to play, 'eh?" he held out the girl in front of him, laughing gleefully at Link's disgusted expression. "I have her in my possession. If you want to see her alive, you will let me pass."

Link shook his head. "No. I'm taking both her and the pendant back."

The moblin laughed again. "Then so be it…" he stated, raising its large spear above its head.

Link swung out his grapple shot and launched it at the now-horizontal spear. The hook firmly wrapped around it, and the moblin soon became surprised at how Link was able to pull the string taut and make the beast's arm immobile. The pig-like creature dropped Relm on the ground and used his right hand to break the hook free.

Immediately, Link activated the trigger fully and pulled himself up. The momentum brought a swift sense of speed and Link swung up with his legs, knocking the large beast off of his ride and onto the ground. As it fell back, the pendant came loose.

Link continued spinning through the air a short while later even after the moblin fell. He swung his hand up to grasp hold of the jewel in the air. Almost there… almost there… He touched the bottom of the pendant, and reached his hand up to pull it back down…

But he never felt the jewel's grip in his hand…

A flying kargarok, a large bird-like creature, swooped down and grabbed the jewel with its talons. Arrows launched from the archers, but the beast was too fast. It gliding swiftly through the air and reached the ground on the other side of the mountains. Everyone knew what had become of it, now. The remains of the bokoblin army were waiting outside for their leader; their leader whom never showed up.

Link fell backwards onto the wild boar, then collapsed to the ground. He turned to the moblin, which began to stir, again. The green-clad warrior raced over and slammed his sword into beast's chest. The moblin gasped for air a few seconds and then its limbs fell dead. The beast breathed no more.

_**XXXXX**_

Relm's body writhed in pain as she was moved to the makeshift hospital of the small village. Thirteen Sheikah had been found dead and nineteen others wounded. The village itself bore exactly forty-six Sheikah total before the attack which is all that had been brought here. Of course, the counts did not include Link, Saria, or even Relm herself. However, these did include Impa, though.

A village nurse, one of the only ones to not have participated in the battle, wrapped up Relm's shoulder with gauze and tightened it firmly. The bleeding had stopped, now, but it still hurt like crazy.

Regardless, at least they had won… Well, at least Relm thought they had won; Impa seemed to find it to be a failure. Why, though? There must be a reason for this, she decided.

Link and Saria didn't know what to do next, and they weren't about to leave her in that condition, so they had stuck around. She was surprised at how well Link took this situation, especially after the incident back at the castle. He clearly was only trying to figure out what she was doing, though, and she didn't let him find out. He wouldn't have believed that she had been assigned to the task of protecting Princess Zelda, would he? Of course not!

She sat in the bed a while, still aching all over, but the pain died away surprisingly quick. As the girl wondered about what the pendant truly meant, she heard the door swing open. No one was in the room at the time, but now in walked Impa, Link, and Saria.

She raised an eyebrow. "To what do I owe the honor?" Relm asked.

Impa motioned to Link and he closed the door. She then walked around the bed, ignoring the question for now, and sat down in a chair to Relm's left. "My dear student, you must learn the truth…"

Relm stared in stunned silence. It took her a couple moments to regain her composure before blurting out: "What do you mean?!"

The Sheikah nodded her head. "Do you remember your mother?" she asked.

The girl shook her head, surprised by the statement. "Well, no, of course not."

Impa nodded. "The pendant you had worn since a young child was given to you by her. It is a compacted version of an item known as the 'Spiritual Stone of Fire.'"

Link raised an eyebrow. "W-wait a second… so you're saying that the stone on the pendant is a piece off of the Goron Ruby?" he asked in bewilderment.

She turned to him and nodded. "Yes, it is. The gem was originally granted to the Gorons to protect it, but when it was necessary the stone was taken to the castle. Of course, you know this very well. Afterwards, it was compacted into this form and hidden in the treasury to hide its secrets."

Link nodded, but did not reply. He just watched as Impa turned back to Relm and opened her mouth again. "The royal family kept it locked securely away. However, upon your birth, it was given to you."

Relm shook her head and quickly sat up. "Wait, what? Why did they give it to me, of all people? I'm just an orphan raised up in the mountains!"

Impa closed her eyes and chuckled a bit. Shaking her head, she said, "No, Relm. You were taken her to keep you and your elder sister safe. You are the second born to Queen Zelda and King Roans, and therefore are not obliged to follow the tradition where every first born girl is named 'Zelda.'"

This time, all three of them stared in pure amazement and silence. At last, the silence was broken. "WHAT?!" Link, Saria, and Relm all stated simultaneously.

Impa nodded. "Your mother knew that you were destined to bare that pendant, as was your elder sister to take the Spiritual Stone of Water. She also knew of coming days when evil would take the land, and Gannondorf's seal would be broken. To prevent this from coming to pass, you two had to be separated."

Relm just stared blankly. She shook her head and regained her composure… somewhat. "But… Why? If the gems were all that dangerous, couldn't they just be destroyed? Why did I have to take the pendant, anyway? Why was I sent back to the castle? Surely they could've caught us both there!"

Impa shrugged her shoulders. "To tell you the truth, even I don't know all the details. I just learn what I am to do from Zelda herself. From what I gather, though, you were the one chosen, and you had to bare it. That doesn't me you must bare it alone, but you were the only one who COULD protect it. You were also brought up here on purpose to fulfill your destiny. Here you were trained for the past fourteen years of your life knowing our ways so that you would have the strength to fight and to help protect Hyrule. Zelda formed a dual purpose; first it served as part of your training, and by your success you have passed the test. Second, it was also intended to alert Link of your presence. Third, Zelda had to learn to trust you so that you could help her in the future."

Well, this was surely intriguing, Link decided. A lot had come up in such a short amount of time. He still wasn't sure how this all fit together, but things were slowly coming together. If Relm was destined to bare that gem, though, weren't there two others? Apparently the princess had the Zora's Sapphire, but what of the Kukri's Emerald? Saria certainly didn't have that one… Who could be the one chosen to bear this spiritual stone?

Suddenly, Impa turned to the boy. "Link," she said.

Link blinked his eyes, startled. "Y-yes…?" he asked, snapping back to attention.

She nodded. "Good."

Impa stood to her feet and turned to face him. "Link, you must follow those fiends back to Hyrule Castle. The sake of all of Hyrule, and perhaps even the whole world, is at stake here."

Link jumped to his feet, staring back at her. "Gannondorf, right?" he closed his eyes and sighed. "I figured it was something like that, and to answer your question… It was obvious that it was my next destination."

She nodded. "Indeed. And yes; those fiends seek to release Gannondorf. Do not be fooled by their appearances, though. They have risen from the evil power that has grown in the world."

Saria lowered her head, sighing.

Impa noticed this. She turned to face her. "Do not fret, young one. I know what you have faced. Fear not; it isn't your fault for this tragedy. Go with Link and assist him."

Saria smiled and nodded. "Yes, I will!"

The sheikah woman nodded in reply. Link and Saria quickly said their farewells and then promptly left. Immediately, Impa turned to Relm. "Are you well enough to stand?" she asked.

Relm sighed. "I… I think so…"

"Go with them," Impa said.

Relm blinked in surprise, but just continued to stare her down. "Master…?"

Impa nodded. "The time has come to put your training to the test. You are to return to Hyrule Castle; return to your home, and defend them. You must then follow Link on his journey, for it, too, is part of your destiny."

The girl was still stunned by the statement, but she didn't deny it. Instead, she slipped out of the bed and stood on her own two feet. She was still wearing the same garments from before, though the corner of her shirt was torn slightly where the arrow had cut passed. It did not actually pierce the bone, but it did catch the corner of the shoulder just barely. Now, though, the cut was not visible beneath the gauss wrapped around the arm.

She gave off a sigh of relief. "Okay, I can do this… I will do this."

Impa smiled back. "Do not try yourself too hard, though. Ask Saria to ride your horse and you ride behind one of the two."

Relm spun back in surprise. She shook her head. "No! If I'm well enough to walk, I'm well enough to ride. Besides, I don't want her to be startled by a different rider. Even so, I wouldn't want to ride with that girl as it'd be awkward, and she'd certainly be mad if I rode with Link. I ride alone."

Impa sighed. "Very well, then, but you must hurry; they are leaving now.

Relm nodded. "Yes, of course. I will return."

The woman smiled. "I know you will."

And with that, Relm rushed out of the room and out of the building. She met up with Link and Saria again and told them of the situation. Afterwards, she proceeded to saddle her horse and mounted, returning to where Link and Saria were. Impa came out and said farewell, and the three rode off into the afternoon sun, wondering what dangers may lay ahead.

* * *

**Author's Note(s)**: ...WHAAT?! Yes, Relm's secret is revealed! ...and not even she knew about it. No, this wasn't something totally out-of-the-blue, it was actually something I had planned all along. Apparently I didn't plan the reasoning well enough, though, so I updated it a little earlier today. In truth, the 'power' doesn't play all that much of a role, but it's shown in the ending sequence (which is complete, btw, though may require some updating).

In other news... As I've stated on deviantART, I've recently gotten into more drawing, and my latest ones have turned out significantly better (though still noticeably in need of work, but hey, I'm a new drawer) than my past tries (I haven't uploaded any yet, but I shall soon). My first was made as a gift for my girlfriend, and the identity of it will not be revealed until she receives a copy of the picture in the mail. The second, though, is going to be a try at Saria, wearing the cloak she has early in the story. The main problem here will be the face, but it shouldn't prove too much of a hassle. I'm betting that it probably won't look like her, especially considering the fact that the hood will be covering her head, but I'm going to try nonetheless. Of course, it'll be uploaded to my deviantART Account when I get it complete, so when it's done you will see a note in one of these entries. My DA name is 'ultimahedgie.'


	19. Ride to Ruin

**Author's Note(s)**: Mmm... Somewhat of a filler. Compared to the past few chapter's, it is quite short. However, it does hold some relevant information.

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda - Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 19: Ride for Ruin**_

The two riders rode swiftly off into the night. Relm was well-accustomed to riding, just as much as Link was… if not better. Saria simply hung onto Link, despite knowing riding well herself. Link was easily better, and even then, she simply was in no state for such things at this moment.

They rode silently as the sun slowly lowered in the sky. It was nearly two o'clock by the time they left the Sheikah village, but time was passing swiftly. The ride back to the castle was long, and they knew it would be dark by the time they arrived. The castle gates closed at nine, which meant they had six hours to reach it. Even on horseback, that was quite a distance to travel, but they should make it just fine.

None of them spoke for the longest time. All kept quiet, for none had any words to utter. Relm's thoughts stayed on the revelations over the past day. Link's eyes stayed on the road, while his thoughts turned to the strange happenings abroad. Saria's mind remained covered in shadow; separated from the realm of the living.

Time passed. It took a while, but they finally came out of the cover of the mountains and out to the field. It would take nearly three more hours to reach the castle, though. The fields ahead were wide and vast. All that was here was a wide, long, open plain, but it still took a long time to cross. The trek to the river would take a while as is. After this last obstacle, it was only another two hours to cross the final stretch.

Link was beginning to get anxious. He didn't feel comfortable. Something was odd in the air, but he couldn't pinpoint it. He sensed… a calling… Someone was calling his name. He glanced around, but only received stares from Saria, whom was bewildered as to what he had been looking for.

"Something up?" she had asked, breaking the silence which held them all this way.

He shook his head. "No."

Saria sighed. She knew that Link was a poor liar. He himself knew this, but she also knew better than to add anything. That only frustrated him; despite the fact that he knew lying was wrong.

After that little interruption, he didn't hear the voice anymore. Well, for the moment, at least. They went on their way for another hour or so, now a ways passed Eldin Bridge and back to Eastern Hyrule Field, when he heard something again. It was… a whispering noise; clearly female.

"Link…" it muttered, softly.

He raised an eyebrow. It sounded as if it was coming from his right. He pulled on the reins and halted. Relm heard this and pulled back, too. She spun back to face him. "What's wrong?"

Link blinked in surprise. "I… I don't know… I thought I had heard something."

Saria narrowed her eyes. "Wait, you were reacting strangely some time ago…"

He ignored the comment. "Hmm… Maybe it was just all in my head…"

Relm sighed, placing a hand on her hip. "Well, if that's all, then let us continue."

Link nodded. "Indeed."

As she turned back to mount her horse again, Link heard the voice again. This time, though, it said something different… **"O chosen warrior, arise and take of the Pedestal of Time."**

Link narrowed his eyes, staring ahead. A flash of light appeared in Relm's eyes, and he realized that the voice was coming from her, yet she seemed oblivious to it. Suddenly, his foot slipped, and he fell off the side of the horse.

Saria screamed. "LINK!" she cried out.

This was the last thing he heard before everything went black.

_**XXXXX**_

_Bright lights burned his retinas… Despite this, he still could not see. Wait, that's because his eyes were closed. He desperately tried to open them, but could not. Voices echoed around him, but he was absent from the world. Finally, he slowly opened his eyes._

_The light was not of the sun. A blinding, red aura swirled around him. He slowly stood up. A flash of light appeared, and he suddenly saw Saria, frantic. She called out, but he didn't hear. He tried to touch her, but the image vanished. Another image appeared, but this time it was Relm. She was growing impatient. However, she too disappeared._

_Link narrowed his eyes. "I'm dreaming… I must wake up…"_

"_**Yea warrior of time…"**__ a voice echoed._

_He spun around, but was blinding by the intense lights. He covered his eyes with his arm. "Who are you?!"_

"_**Mists and shadows cover this land… A dark power threatens Hyrule and the whole world, while another power has yet to resurrect… The ranch hand knows something. Conclude your business, and then go there."**_

_Link blinked in surprise. "The ranch? Lon Lon Ranch? What's there?! Why do I have to go there, of all places?"_

"_**Do you not wish to save your friend? Go."**_

_The lights swirled round and round. Link gasped. "What? You're just… leaving me here? Who are you?!"_

"_**Go."**_

_Another light enveloped him, and the darkness returned._

Link's eyes shot open. Saria cried. "Link!"

The girl raced over to him and buried her head in his chest. "Link… I thought you were gone…"

He turned to Relm, whom was now approaching. "You've been out cold for the last half hour or so. She wouldn't sit still. She's so annoying."

Link wrapped his arms around Saria. "It's okay," he stated, breathing heavily. "I'm just fine."

Relm sighed and crossed her arms. "Enough of this; we've wasted enough time already. Let's get going."

Link turned to Saria, still gripping him firmly. He nodded back at Relm. "Yes… Let's…"


	20. Darkest Resurrection

_**Author's Note(s)**_: Hmm... Well, this one turned out quite a bit different from my original plan. It still follows the same scenario basically, but the details aren't quite the same. Ah well. It still captures what I had intended, so I don't mind, really. 'Sides, Link doesn't have to be the hero _all_ the time, does he?

One major complaint I have with this is that it seems to rely a bit too much on dialog. Other than that, I think it's pretty good overall. Let's see what the reader's think, though, hmm? And yes, it definitely is longer than last chapter.

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 20: Darkest Resurrection**_

Link, Saria, and Relm finally arrived at the gates of Hyrule Castle. The sky was black. Rain waters poured down; lightning flashed. Five minutes ago, the sky was perfectly clear. Something was amiss.

"Look," Relm called out, pointing ahead, "the gate is wide open, and completely unguarded."

Saria gasped in surprise. "I thought the gates were closed after dark…"

Relm glanced at the green-haired girl, nodding. "They are. The guards either didn't have the capabilities to close the gates, or they were expecting us."

Link nodded. "It's probably a combination of both," he added. "The queen has the power of foresight. She knew we were coming."

Relm lowered her head. "I see…"

The hero raised his sword, now, looking to the sky. "That is what worries me most, though," he proclaimed. "I remember one time that, upon arriving at the castle, storm clouds suddenly appeared in the sky. The same has happened here. Why, twice now I have arrived at Hyrule Castle during a storm, but I am more intrigued at how storms just suddenly appear."

Saria nodded. "Dark powers are at work here… She is here; I can feel it… Her presence echoes in the air."

Relm narrowed her eyes, staring back at Saria again. "'She'…?"

Link suddenly pulled his horse in front of Relm, raising his index finger up to his lips. "It's a long story. You'll find out soon enough."

The girl raised an eyebrow, bewildered by the statement. She opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it a short while later. She had no words to say, so she kept her mouth shut.

Link proceeded ahead across the drawbridge, so Relm followed behind. Apparently the repairs on the town had already begun, but there was still work to do. Even so, another tragedy had occurred. There was a straight line of destruction straight through the main street. Hyrulean and Masan soldiers were assisting the wounded, and helping to pick up destroyed stalls and carts that lay along the path.

One of the Hyrule guards spotted the three travelers and moved in their direction. "Link, is it not?" the soldier asked.

Link nodded in reply. "Yes, it is I. What has happened here?"

The soldier sighed. "A horde of monsters attacked the city, led by a great Moblin. They destroyed everything in the streets, but luckily there were no severe injuries. The wounded have been taken to the inn, which has been partially restored, but the riders raced to the castle. We have been notified that you would be arriving and that you should proceed to the castle with haste."

Link nodded once again. "Indeed. That is where we were headed. Thank you, sir."

The soldier bowed in return. "May you be blessed by the Gods."

The green-clad warrior clapped his heels together and cried out. The horse beneath him raced forward, and Relm followed behind once again. Soldiers and civilians moved aside as they passed by, and the three turned right at town square, proceeding on to the castle courtyard. Along the way, bodies of boars and bokoblins littered the street, which were being moved by soldiers.

The gates of the castle itself had been broken through, but no severe damage was made. No guards were at the gates, either, for they had apparently proceeded to fight off the enemy. The three continued on ahead, and they heard a commotion off to their right. Link dismounted, as did Saria and Relm.

Link turned to the east, where he saw a large building surrounded by walls, and the area around this was sealed with two large golden gates. They had been smashed open, though, and now lay on their sides. Somehow, this place seemed familiar…

"They must be over there," he stated, pointing in that direction.

Relm nodded. "Everyone else must be in there, too, for I don't see anyone around."

Saria clung to Link's arm, tightly. "I… I don't like this…"

Link brushed a hand through her hair, comforting her. "It's alright. Let's get going. No one is going to hurt you."

She nodded in reply. "Yes… Let's…"

Link smiled, but then turned back to the construction beyond the gates. He began to move in that direction; Saria still clutching onto his arm. Relm rolled her eyes, but reluctantly followed behind. However, as they approached, they heard voices from inside. Link immediately stopped; instead, he wanted to listen and see what they had to say.

"Why do you come to this sacred place?" a female voice called out.

Another voice, clearly that of the Moblin leader, spoke up in reply. "We have come with the three keys in order to release our God from his eternal prison! If you try to stop us from completing our task, we will be forced to take drastic measures…"

"You shall not harm them," another stated, this one with a deeper, more masculine voice. A sword was removed from its sheath and the man continued. "My warriors shall smite you!"

"Captain, lay down your arms," another spoke out, again male. "We cannot take such a risk."

"So," the Moblin said again, "you surrender? Very well. My brethren, disarm them, and break open the seal."

Numerous cries echoed out and steel clattered to the ground all around. Link had had enough. He unsheathed his sword and raced in. Relm, startled, pulled out her daggers and followed behind.

Tall pillars held the construction in place, while engravings written in the ancient language of Hylia were etched into them. The entire building was wide open, but only held two rooms. At the center of the main chamber, the mural of a large Triforce was on a small ledge extending upwards, and there was an altar surrounded by stairs leading up to a door into the next room.

Standing on top of the Triforce mural was a Moblin sitting on top of a boar. Nearly thirty bokoblins surrounded him, as he was clearly their leader. Compared to the hundreds seen back in the Sheikah Village, this was a small amount. Many died during the first battle, but most likely fell during the attack on the town.

In front of the hoard stood Queen Zelda, King Rohanes, the captain of the Guard, Gersh, and also Captain Baask of Masa. Numerous Hylian and Masan soldiers stood between them and the bokoblin army. However, all their weapons now lay on the ground. The reasoning was quite obvious, too.

Two of the lead bokoblins, on either side of the lead Moblin, held Princess Zelda and another girl captive, both tied to poles. The moblin held three pendants in its hand—the red pendant that Relm had, but also a purple and a green one. After having eyed the pendants, another thought came to Link. The second girl's hair was white. White like snow. She also wore green garments. Though he could not see her face, he immediately recognized her.

Link was about to speak, but suddenly, he stopped. "Sheila…?" he asked, stunned.

All eyes in the building turned to the three figures. He then saw the girl and immediately new he was right. He gritted his teeth.

"Link!" the princess cried out from her bonds.

The Moblin laughed out. "So this is the great hero, hmm? You don't look so tough."

Link stepped forward, standing tall and proud, Saria clinging to his left arm with Relm standing just to his right. He spoke openly and boldly. "I assure you, I am quite capable. Now, LET. THEM. GO." Link demanded.

The Moblin raised its spear, laughing again. He twirled it in his hands, then turned and placed the tip of the point against the princess's neck, raising her head up a bit. "Oh, you are quite confident… Unfortunately, her life is in your hands. Drop your weapon or she dies."

Link gritted his teeth. He looked to the ground, and then began to open his hand. Saria reached over and clasped it shut, though. "No, Link… You must fight…" she whispered into his ear.

He turned back to face her, lowering his head. "But… they'll kill…"

A loud noise caused Link to stumble on his words. He spun around and saw that everyone had turned away. Well, they at least weren't staring at him anymore. Instead, it was on the Moblin, and the fallen spear, which had clattered to the ground. More so, though, was the fact that Relm was standing on its shoulders, with her dagger stuck in the beast's head.

"Relm!" Link called out in surprise.

Queen Zelda smiled, clasping her hands together. "So, it is done," she stated.

Relm flipped backwards through the air as all the soldiers rushed to their swords. The girl spun a kick into the large creature's head and it collapsed. She landed gracefully onto the ground once more and the soldiers rushed in to easily overcome the bokoblins that were left.

Link raced forward and Relm turned to face him. Saria came up behind, seemingly disappointed. "How did you do that?!" Link asked, amazed.

Relm chuckled. "Before you dragged all the attention to yourself, I ducked away and hid between the pillars. I wedged myself between two pillars to gradually climb up to the ceiling near the center of the chamber, where I simply waited for the right moment. The rafters in the ceiling are rather easy to cling to with a pair of handy claws." She waved a pair of metal spikes that were slipped over her hands.

Link sighed. "Mmm… Well, that didn't turn out the way I anticipated. I didn't even do anything."

Relm shook her head. "Well, I wouldn't say that… You kept everyone's eyes on you while I got into position. Without that distraction I surely would've been spotted."

He shrugged his shoulders again. "Meh, whatever."

"So…" Saria began, "is something wrong, Relm?"

Relm blinked. "Um, well…"

"You have done well, young one. I am impressed with your skills," a voice stated from behind.

Relm heard this and glanced back, but avoided making it look like she was watching. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the queen approaching. She clenched her teeth together and clasped her right hand tightly into a fist.

Zelda bowed, smiling. "You have my gratitude," she stated. "Had you not been hear, I don't know what may have happened."

Suddenly, she couldn't take it anymore. She spun completely around, furious. "How can you SAY that?! How… how could you let this happen?!" tears began pouring from the girl's eyes, now. She wanted to tear the woman before her limb from limb, yet she also just wanted to melt into her embrace.

"You will understand soon enough." Zelda stated, walking passed. She placed a hand on Relm's shoulder, and the girl then buried her head in Zelda's side.

The queen then turned from this and faced Link. "You are here for a purpose. This happened to be out of your reach, but your task here is not yet complete. There is something else you must do, but at least Gannondorf's seal is still in place. We cannot allow him to escape from the twilight."

Link raised an eyebrow. "Wait, don't you mean the 'Sacred Realm?' I thought he was sealed away in the Sacred Realm…"

Zelda shook her head. "He was, at one time. However, we chose to deal with him more efficiently, and so he was taken to the far depths of the desert. The temple there was converted into a prison, and Gannondorf was sentenced into death. However, his Triforce of Power sustained him, so a mystical power long forgotten was used to send him into another world. The portal was closed, but we still needed a more fitting seal, so we used the Master Sword in the Temple of Time, which is where we now stand, in order to prevent anyone from using the mystical portal again. The seal is still strong, but Gannon's power is seeping through. The Sorceress that has arisen is using his minions to try and break the seal and free him from his prison. Once the seal is broken, Gannondorf will come out at the point where he was first sealed—the roof of the Spirit Temple in the desert. Even after the seal he won't arise immediately, but it will be swift."

She turned away again, looking back at the princess, whom embraced her father the king. Sheila was left alone, and she began to walk away. King Rohanes picked up the three pendants off the ground and walked towards them. "Here are the keys to the Door of Time," he stated. "The three spiritual stones were cut down to size to form these pendants. One was given to a friend of the Royal Family, that being Farore's Emerald, while Nayru's Pearl was given to Zelda and Din's Ruby to Relm."

Rohanes handed all three pendants to Link, and he stared at them, bewildered. "Why do you given these to me?" he asked.

Zelda nodded. "You must guard them. Continue on your journey and let us take care of things here. The soldiers will clean up this mess, and we will return to the castle. Relm must continue journeying with you, but you may stay the night here. She will accompany you when you are ready to go."

Link watched as Sheila disappeared through the door. He turned back to face the queen, curious. "Why was she taken here, too? I remember seeing that girl at the ranch, and was surprised to find her here."

"She was taken from the ranch," another voice stated.

King Rohanes turned and saw a large man in heavy armor approach them. He nodded and faced Link and Saria. "Ah, this is Captain Gersh, the leader of our forces," he stated.

Gersh nodded. "You're Link, hmm?" he hit Link on the side, and then laughed out when Link began rubbing the spot. "A little scrawny for a hero, but you do look tough."

Link groaned. "Gee... Thanks…"

Gersh laughed, again. "Heh… Well, regardless of this, that girl Sheila somehow had received the green pendant, called Farore's Emerald. How it got into her hands, I do not know, but she was picked up by one of those riders from the ranch."

Relm now perked her ears up. "Mmm… They attacked our…" she stumbled on her words, remembering that the identity of the village isn't supposed to be known to anyone. "They… attacked us on the way here and took my pendant, too. I never knew it held such power…"

Suddenly, a thought came to Link. "W-wait…" he spun back to face the queen. "What of the Ocarina of Time? Isn't that also necessary to open the door?"

Zelda shook her head. "Not any longer. Once the pendants are in place, the door will open immediately. The Song of Time is not necessary for this type of seal."

Link nodded. "Mmm… I see… So they could've succeeded, anyway…"

Zelda smiled. "Yes, but no longer. We have succeeded in stopping them. The Sorceress's power still abounds, but it will not last long. With the fail of Gannondorf's revival, all shall be well. We shall return, now. Come and rest, then be on your way."

Everyone, including Relm, then headed back to the castle. Link just watched as all the soldiers, the queen, the king, the two captains, the princess, and Relm, all left the chamber, leaving only himself and Saria. He wanted to stay a little while longer and see how the temple had changed. Actually, it hadn't really changed at all. Apparently something happened to the town, and the new castle gates were built around the temple in addition to the castle itself. The temple was still exactly the same, and in the exact same place it had last been.

Saria clung onto Link, worried. "I… I still don't like this," she stated. "Something... Just doesn't feel right…"

A slight chill was in the air. Link could feel it… Fear entered into his mind, but he pushed it off. He wasn't about to be scared off. "Something comes…" he whispered.

"Hehehehehe…" a voice echoed through the temple.

Link gasped. "Gannondorf!"

Saria turned to Link. "I feel that the seal is weak… I didn't want to say anything before, but…"

"Zelda was wrong?" he asked, surprised.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know… Maybe I just haven't concentrated my powers as a sage properly…"

He shook his head, placing his hand on her head and brushing her hair, softly. "No, don't say that… I trust you…"

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. "Wait a second…"

Link quickly pulled out the pendants and stared into their depths. "Zelda said… I had something more to do here… And they gave me the key… Perhaps I am supposed to take the Master Sword now so I can defeat him."

She looked up in surprise. "You mean Gannondorf?"

He nodded. "Of course… Gannondorf must have already escaped, and has been sending his minions to take the Master Sword. Come, let us go."

She smiled and nodded. "Okay!"

Link hurried ahead and raced to the altar. The three pendants glowed approvingly and he let go of the straps. They floated into the air and split apart. Nayru's Pearl, formerly known as the Zora's Sapphire, hovered over the far right node. Din's Ruby, formerly the Goron's Ruby, floated over the central node. And lastly, Farore's Emerald, formerly the Kokiri Emerald, hovered over the left-most node. They fell down into the holes and the Door of Time suddenly split open down the center, the two halves disappearing into the walls.

He raced up the steps and into the chamber. He felt an eerie, evil presence as he approached the glowing sword. He knew that it was obviously the power of the sorceress. He instead concentrated solely on the sword. He pressed on, step by step, until finally he stood at the foot of the sword. Reaching forward with both hands, Link pulled hard. The sword slowly slid up from the stone pedestal.

Suddenly, swirling winds spun around him. He heard loud laughter. "Hehehehehehe…. Nice going, kid… Thank you for breaking the seal…" A silhouette of Gannondorf, the evil Gerudo king, suddenly appeared before him. The figured laughed out. "I shall enjoy finishing you off… Once and for all…"

The silhouette vanished, and Link was left alone in the darkness.


	21. Temple of Light

**Author's Note(s)**: Ah, at last, Chapter 21! Actually, this chapter marks the beginning of the second HALF of this Fanfiction. Yes, we are at the halfway point, folks. Sorry about the delays, but I've been busy. Hopefully the next few should come quickly.

I've actually got quite a bit of news right now. First, a while back I mentioned I would be drawing a picture of Saria. That is actually long-since done with, and it's decent, but I still intend on doing another one with her later that's a better style of her in this fic (and without the cloak). Either way, it's not the final style. However, I received a request to draw a picture of Relm, which I only RECENTLY completed. It is available on my deviantArt Account, which is "ultimahedgie." If you don't know how to get there, go to ultimahedgie DOT deviantart DOT com (replacing the "DOT"s with periods ., of course). Her full name is Relm Kisaragi Hyrule, though at this point I have no intentions of revealing it in the fic. Maybe it'll come up later, but not now.

Second, recently I started playing a Zelda fan game called "The Legend of Zelda: The Fallen Sage," which is an RPG designed in RPG Maker XP. Well, during this, I looked at the actually RPG Maker feature in the program (as you have to download RPG Maker in order to play games), and I really liked the look of it, so I decided to start designing a game based on SoD for fun. SoD already has numerous RPG similarities, and more are coming up later. Of course, the game version will have additional things that never happened before, such as returning to Termina (which doesn't ever happen in the fic).

As one final note, SoD is currently planned to be the first of a trilogy. Even when I started the fiction I had wanted to do a sequel because of how I planned the fic to end, but the third part came recently. That was actually an idea I had for something else entirely, and I decided to link it to SoD. All three parts will be featured in the game. Later I may release snapshots of the game, probably on my dA Account, but for now it's staying top secret. I don't actually have the paid version of RPG Maker, either, so I've only got a month. (I'm hoping that I could just reinstall the trial, but I don't know if this will work out.) Either way, that's how it's going. Some of the events in the second and third parts may be a bit questionable, and possibly cliche, but I'm hoping that if I write them well enough that most will be able to bypass them. And yes, more questionable than what happens in this fic...

Anyway, enough ranting. Enjoy the second half! (When I get more out... Until then, enjoy this chapter. XD).

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 21: Temple of Light**_

_A horrid, blinding bright light caused Link to awaken, startled. He glanced around and saw that he was in a bright, golden room, blazing with the purest of all lights. The entire chamber was alit with an unseen glow. He did not know where it was coming from, either, as all he saw around him was pure gold glistening brightly, jewels of all sorts etched around him._

_He pushed himself to his feet, wearily, wobbling slightly, before he was able to actually keep his balance. He glanced around, staring into the majesty of the structure around him. "Wow…" was all that he could mutter._

"_Welcome, Link. It's been a long time."_

_Link spun around, stunned. "Who…?"_

_He saw no one, but he did see an even greater light emanating from a chamber in front of him. He raced into the room, running out on top of a large, circular, stone marble platform. Around him he saw nothing but stars and sky, save for the doorway behind him. This, then, sealed shut, and all that was left there was stars, as well._

_He stood at the center of the platform, looking around in all directions. The world seemed to spin around him. All sense of time and reality was pushed to the back of his mind. He then realized the seven symbols attached to the sides of the platform. Each of the seven medallions of the sages._

"_I'm in the chamber of sages…" he muttered softly to himself._

"_Exactly," the voice echoed out again._

_Link turned around and saw what he had been guessing he'd see. Standing before him was the red robed, tall, elder sage known as Rauru, the Sage of Light._

"_What am I doing here…?" Link asked._

_Rauru nodded to himself. "You have been tricked, Link, and Gannondorf is unleashed. He has returned and is now plotting his new conquest of Hyrule. None shall be spared."_

_The hero narrowed his eyes. "How is this so? I heard his voice!"_

_Rauru shook his head. "No. That was a manipulation of the evil power released by your friend, Saria, Sage of the Forest. The Sorceress knew that the only one who could release Gannondorf, the only one who could pull the Master Sword from its pedestal; was you. She manipulated the Masans to capture Saria, knowing that you would go there, and then that you would also come back down and meet Relm. Had you not met Relm, you would not have gone to the Sheikah Village and arrive back at Hyrule Castle for the Moblins to be there. They had to be one step ahead of you so that she could then coerce you into releasing Gannondorf."_

_Link narrowed his eyes. "Impossible… Save for that first time, I never saw her again! I anticipate our next meeting is soon, but how was she able to do this?"_

_Rauru shook his head. "She is closer than you think. She has been following you ever since you arrived back in Hyrule, but she's crafty and is able to hide herself from you. Be warned, for your next meeting will be soon."_

_Link nodded. "Mmm… Who is she?"_

"_That," Rauru stated, "will be left for you to find out. You will learn the truth soon enough."_

_Link stared in wonder as everything vanished. The ground disappeared, and darkness enveloped him. Rauru was the only thing left in his eyesight, but he, too, was fading._

"_Trust not even the closest of friends…"_

_**XXXXX**_

Link sat straight up in bed. He glanced around the room and saw that he was sitting in a small bedroom in Hyrule Castle. To his right he saw Princess Zelda suddenly stand up and rush out of the room. "He's awake!" she cried out.

Saria and Relm rushed into the room, but Saria moreso than the other two. She collapsed by Link's side and reached over, hugging him. "You're alive!" she cried out.

Relm leaned up against the wall next to the door and eyed Link, carefully. "So, what now, big hero? It seems that you've messed up now. Big time."

He glanced around the room, rubbing his head. "Wh-what happened…?"

"You saw a vision, did you not?" Queen Zelda stated as she walked into the room.

"Mother…?" the princess asked, turning to her.

The elder Zelda ignored her. "Link, you know what you must do. Seek the power of the sages."

He swung his legs off of the bed and turned back to face her. "Yes, but… What happened? That's what I'd like to know."

She nodded. "Just as the sage told you—you were tricked into releasing Gannondorf. In the Temple itself, it appeared that you had passed out after you pulled the Master Sword, and you were brought here. However, in truth you saw a vision of the Temple of Light. You should remember it well."

Link shook his head. "Actually, not really… I only remember the Chamber of Sages. That is all I saw. This time I got to see another brief glimpse of it."

"Temple of Light…? Sages…?" Relm asked, puzzled.

Saria stood up. She looked over at the queen, and they exchanged a nod. Zelda backed away, and she motioned for the princess to follow suit. The forest sage then turned to Relm. "Only the Seven Sages, the Hero of Time, and Gannondorf know of what happened twenty years prior. Link is the Hero of Time, and he was taken seven years into the future so that he could battle against Gannondorf. He defeated Gannon and the evil king was sealed into the Sacred Relm. Link, then, was sent back to his original time, so to everyone else it appeared that Gannondorf had merely vanished and that Link was nothing special."

Relm sighed. "So, if that is the case, then how do you know about it?"

She giggled a bit. "That's because I'm the Forest Sage. You also never really did know that you were raised by a Sage; the Shadow Sage."

Relm gasped. "Master Impa…?" she asked.

The queen nodded. "She is a trusted advisor of mine. We chose her for the role of raising you up into the young woman you are now. I apologize for the actions, but we had no other choice."

Relm nodded. "Very well, then. Whatever the case, I'm not just sitting around here and waiting for the world to fall around us. I'm going with Link."

"As you should," Zelda said in reply. "You are to go with Link on his journey," as she was speaking she turned to Saria, "and you also. You can help to gather the power of the sages, and to help stop this evil that you released."

She lowered her head upon hearing that. Both Relm and Princess Zelda jumped in surprise. "W-wait, what?!"

A tear dripped down Saria's face. "Y-yes… It was me… It was an accident, though, I swear it!"

"But you—" Relm started.

The queen raised her hand. "Enough is enough," she said, then turned to face Link. "In truth, the real cause of all these problems is you."

He raised an eyebrow, but then quickly jumped to his feet. "W-wait… me? How—"

Zelda nodded. "It was Saria's choice to leave the forest. It was your choice to leave, too, and it was the right one. However, had you allowed Saria to come with you, none of this would've ever happened. That is what fate is like, though. You were supposed to deny Saria to follow you; she was supposed to find the scepter, and the sorceress, the entity within the Scepter itself, was supposed to be released into the world. And you are supposed to stop it."

Link hissed. "B-but… how can this be?!" he slammed a fist in the wall, making the three girls in the room jump for a second. "We can't just sit by and do nothing! Can't we change the future? Can't we change our fate?"

Zelda nodded. "It is possible to change the future. You need to anticipate all possible outcomes and make the right choice. However, changing the future is harder than it may seem." _'As you will soon learn.'_

Link lowered his head. He realized that the last thing she said she didn't really say at all. It was intended to be a message directly to him, and only he was intended to hear it. This is the third time that it had happened in the past few days. The princess seemed like someone who might have telepathic powers, but Relm? Someone was trying to tell him something.

The queen left the room, but then stopped just outside. "Your horses have been made ready for you three. You shall leave tomorrow. Link, you already know where to go."

Link narrowed his eyes. _'How does she do this?!'_ he screamed out to himself in his mind. _'She knows that the light told me to go to Lon Lon Ranch…'_


	22. Return to Lon Lon

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 22: Return to Lon Lon**_

Link, Saria, and Relm made there way back to the castle courtyard and said farewell to King Daphnes, Queen Zelda, Princess Zelda, and the captain's of Hyrule and Masa—Gersh and Baask. Lon Lon wasn't far, but they had already spent one night here and Link wanted to get on with this journey as soon as possible. Their horses were retrieved, with Link and Saria climbing onto Melinda, and Relm mounting her horse, Sapphire, named after her sapphire blue eyes.

The two riders, and one passenger, rode out from the castle, but Zelda was not satisfied. Princess Zelda, that is. She had wanted to go with, and even asked her mother, but it simply was not allowed.

"This journey was not made for a princess. You would slow them down," they had said.

Well, Relm was truly a princess, as well, even though she never knew it until now. She never realized that the young _boy_ that had appeared in her windowsill seven days ago was actually not only a girl, but also her own sister! Of course, Relm did not know this, either.

And now, once again, she was stuck with life in the castle… that boring, dreadful life of reading, writing, and waiting on servants to do whatever bidding you ask while you sit around all day, unable to find a bit of fun. Of course, she could never have gone in her long, flowing purple dress, but she had another outfit that she could have taken with her—a white gown and purple pants. They were still finer clothing, but it was also a much better choice than her current garments.

She stood waving at the three travelers until they were out of sight. Everyone began to head back inside, but she stood watching a short while longer. Finally, she had enough, and decided to go back inside. She bypassed the questions of onlookers, of her parents, and of the soldiers. Instead, she headed straight upstairs to her bedroom and locked herself inside.

Once she no longer heard any voices outside, and all settled down, she slipped into the closet and dug to the way back. In here, hidden behind hanging clothes and sitting on a small corner table, lay purple and white garments with a few strands of cloth wrappings mixed in, all folded in a neat pile. Relm had given this to her late last night, and she wasn't going to bypass the opportunity to use it.

She ran out into the other room and checked out the window. It was early in the morning, and the sky was overcast, so it wasn't too bright outside. If she got out quick enough, she may be able to sneak into the dungeon through the window in the garden, which she had previously loosed slightly so she could get in.

Zelda rushed back into the closet and quickly stripped her clothes, then slipped on the skin-tight suit Relm had given her. Afterwards, she took the wrappings and encased her head almost entirely in them. The only regions left untouched were her eyes and nose. A few strands of hair stuck through them, but that would be no big deal.

Hopefully, if anyone saw her they would only think she was an intruder. That could either get her thrown into the dungeon, or thrown off the castle grounds. Either outcome was to her advantage, for she knew she could get out of the dungeon using the key she slipped into her pocket. From the dungeon, she would slip into the sewers, and then escape underneath the city.

She quickly swiped up her clothes lying on the ground and folded them neatly into a pile, leaving them right where she had put the suit. Once everyone realized she was gone, they'd surely go looking for her, but at least she might get some time out of the castle.

Zelda slipped out into the bedroom, tiptoeing out to keep quiet. She leaned against the door to see if she heard anything. No one. She ran to the window and looked outside, carefully. Guards were marching back and forth, but none turned in her direction. She waiting until she was clear on both sides, then slipped the window open and jumped down into the bushes, sliding the window shut from the outside as she fell.

She stopped, trying to make sure that no one heard her. She peeked through the bushes, but the guards didn't pay attention. She dashed to the next bush, then turned out and waited for the guards to pass by. Soon, she found herself at the garden. According to what she had heard, this was the same garden that Link first met her mother in. How he looked so young, she still didn't fully understand.

"So far so good," she muttered softly, trying to practice a deep tone, like her sister did before. It seemed to work, though it still sounded like a forced masculine voice.

Zelda shrugged her shoulders, but then quickly searched for her opening. It was a small, barred window that led into the dungeons, which was just beyond the pool of water surrounding the garden. She removed one of the bars and slipped in, not realizing that someone had been watching her.

She replaced the bar and carefully tip-toed through the dungeon. She went down a floor and then found what she was looking for—a locked door that connected to the sewer wells. Some of the water from above actually drained into the dungeon before going to the sewers. She slipped a key into the door and turned. She then turned the knob, pulling the door open.

Suddenly, she gasped out, forgetting to fake her voice. "Y-you!"

Captain Baask smiled, walking through the door. "Hello, Princess. Just what do you think you're doing?"

She coughed into her fist, pretending to clear her throat. "Ahem…" she began, putting on her act again, "I don't know what you are talking about."

Baask laughed. "Oh, please. I know about the suit. I also know that Zelda knew that Relm gave you the suit, and that you would try to escape."

She raised an eyebrow. "You wha-?" She didn't return to the fake voice.

"I'm sorry, but the right thing for me to do would be to return you to your parents."

She moaned. "Grr… Now that's just great. I can't get one break, do I?"

Baask laughed again. "I said that's the _right_ thing to do, not that I'm going to do it. These sewers are dangerous. Don't you need a fighting arm to help you out? I'm sorry, Princess, but you don't know the first thing about fighting."

Zelda blinked, astonished. "Um… That would be great."

The captain nodded. "Let's go. You don't want to miss out on any of the fun, do you? I'm sure that those three have already reached Lon Lon Ranch by now, and despite the fact that it doesn't seem to be a place for much excitement, I hear that they're putting on quite a show… Too bad I can't make it to the ranch, but I can lead you out of this place."

Zelda's frown turned into a smile. Things did seem to be going her way, now, after all.

**_XXXXX_**

Link, Saria, and Relm rode swiftly southbound toward Lon Lon Ranch. It wasn't a difficult trip and it went by swiftly. Soon, Lon Lon came into view, and they rode around to the west side, which is where the passage sloped up into the ranch.

The green-clad hero pulled Melinda to a stop just beneath the passage leading up. He turned to his right and saw Relm come up around him and to his front. "So," Relm stated, "this is it? Doesn't look like much. How could anything special be here?"

Saria shifted behind Link and glanced out to look towards Relm. "Link wouldn't lie. I can sense… a dark presence here. I don't know what's going on in the ranch, but it can't be good."

Link nodded. "Let's go."

He led the way up into the boundaries of the ranch. Saria clung tightly onto Link, and Relm rode up behind. As they rounded the corner, it was clear that Ingo knew they were coming, for he had sealed the gate tightly. Link glanced back. "Relm, we're going to have to jump."

She nodded. "My girl here is a tough one. She was raised up by the Sheikah, and they know what they're doing."

Link chuckled a bit. "You wouldn't believe where this one came from. She raised horses all on her own."

He turned forward again, getting weird glances from both Relm and Saria. "Say what…?" Relm asked.

"You'll see soon enough…" he muttered under his breath. "Saria, you hang in there," he added, speaking more loudly this time.

She squeezed him tightly, nodding. "I'm not hurting you, am I?"

He shook his head. "Squeeze as hard as you want."

Link leaned forward and whispered into the horse's ear. "You ready, girl?"

She nodded. She understood every word that they had said. She knew that she was home, and hopefully back to normal in a short while.

The horse backed up a ways, then darted forward. When they were three feet in front of the fence, she pushed up high with her back legs and raised her front legs up over the fence. Her body flowed seamlessly over the fence and her back legs came down, narrowly missing the spiked top of it. Relm came in just behind them, her horse landing just as gracefully as Link's.

Link never noticed that Melinda winced in pain briefly when her back legs came down. Part of her skin had been torn, but she persisted in letting herself continue onward. She would deal with the pain for the moment.

When the boy clacked his feet together, she darted off again. He heard a loud neighing, and saw that the horses in coral were clashing against the fence, trying to get to these others that had just broken into the ranch. At the front of the pack, closest to the fence, was something that Link didn't see coming.

"Epona!" he called out.

He pushes Melinda onward, requesting that she go to the coral. She did and Link dismounted, racing over to the coral. "Epona!" he called out again.

Saria came up behind him, and then Relm followed. "Epona?" Relm asked. "But isn't she," she pointed to Melinda, "yours?"

Link shook his head. He turned back to face her. "I was separated from my horse when I arrived in Hyrule. Epona must've come back here after I left! She was originally Malon's horse, but when I left Hyrule, Malon gave her to me. When I returned to Hyrule, I was attacked by that sorceress and separated from my horse. I came here, first, to borrow one, and Ingo requested that I take her."

"Malon? Ingo?" Relm questioned.

Saria slapped her forward. "You're clueless, aren't you?"

Relm shrugged her shoulders. "Hey, I've been living in isolation all my life! Sheesh, give me a break…"

Saria sighed, taking a couple steps toward Relm. "Malon is… well, was the owner of Lon Lon Ranch. After her father died, she took over the ranch for a while, but apparently since left. Ingo was Talon's partner—Talon being Malon's father and former owner of Lon Lon Ranch—and after Malon left, Ingo bought the ranch. How he did it, I don't know, but he did."

Link brushed his fingers across Epona's muzzle a bit, but then turned back to face them. "Actually, that's only part of the truth. Ingo wants you to believe that Malon left, but in truth, Ingo found a way to get Malon out of the way so he could just take over. Malon's been with us this entire time."

Both Saria and Relm turned back to face him, eyebrow's raised. "Say what?!" they said in unison.

A sneering laugh echoed across the field. All turned back to see none other than Ingo, with Sheila clinging behind him. Relm blinked in surprise. "Wait, that's the girl from the temple…"

Ingo laughed out, again, cackling wildly. "Welcome, one and all, to Ingo Ranch! Heeheehee… I'm sorry, boy, but I'm not about to let you restore Malon back to her true self. She makes a nice little horse, doesn't she? I can't have you ruining me, now, can I?"

"Wait…" Relm began, spinning back to face Link, "that's what you were trying to say… Melinda _is_ Malon!"

Link nodded. "I know. I was stunned when I first found out, too."

Saria gasped, turning to face the horse. "So that horse, all along, was Malon? I heard that Malon had left…"

"I knew that Ingo was lying from the start after what you told me, Saria," Link stated. "Ingo said that Malon sold everything after Talon died, but when you returned to Hyrule two years ago, Malon was still here. After you left, I went into the Lost Woods, and when I came back out, she had scratched into the dirt 'I am Malon.' Then she marked down a strange symbol which looked like a horseshoe inside of a circle. Pretty original, don't you think?" Link added that last remark with a sarcastic, toothy grin, after turning to face Ingo once again.

Ingo cackled again. "Hehehe… You really think I created that thing myself? It was a gift from a powerful being… This woman in a deep, green cloak, her face so covered that you could not see her face, came to me and asked if I if there was anything I wished I could do. I said that I wanted to own this ranch, and get back at Malon for treating me this way! Well, she gave me the two pendants, telling me to give one to my most prized horse, and the other to give to Malon. Malon didn't know what ever came to her, and now she's stuck this way. I'll kill you before you can ruin my dreams of owning this ranch!"

Link laughed, pulling out his sword. Relm swiped out her dual daggers, as well, and Saria armed herself with her bow. "Hah! You and what army?!"

Ingo laughed out once more. He raised his hands up and electrical energy sparked out from them, splitting the sky. A bolt of lightning struck the ground, and suddenly the ground beneath their feet broke free from the Earth. Link, Saria, and Relm collapsed down to their feet. Saria looked off the platform and saw that they were a couple hundred miles off the ground. It looked so far from where they now stood.

Link forced himself back to his feet, as did Relm. Saria jumped up and clutched tightly onto Link. Sheila backed away slightly from Ingo, apparently frightened. Ingo backed away, hovering slightly off the platform, and slapped her down. She collapsed onto the ground. "Get up, fool! Arm yourself!"

She did, swiping out a bow. "I'm sorry!" she cried out.

Ingo landed back down, chuckling wildly. More sparks of energy lashed out from his fingertips. He pointed at Link, laughing out. "Hehehe… Those pendants aren't all that she gave to me, either… Let me show you my true power!"

The power-crazy Ingo flung his hands into the sky and flames shot up around the platform. Now they couldn't even fall to die; they'd be burnt to a crisp before they were able to fall. "Saria, I didn't think you'd need this, but now I think I must…"

Link slipped the Master Sword back into its sheath, but then quickly swiped out another sword. Saria gasped. "The Kokiri Sword?!"

He glanced back to her. "You're a Kokiri, aren't you? You may have left the forest, but that doesn't change what you are. Take it! You can use it! You'll need something stronger than that bow of yours against him."

She nodded, slipping the bow and arrows back into her quiver and taking the sword from his hands. The sword was awkward to hold, and she nearly dropped it, but it was lightweight; perfect for her to use. Link turned back to Ingo, snarling. "Ingo, Sheila… This ends here!"

Ingo cackled out again. "Hahahaha! We'll see about that!"

Sheila lowered her head, sighing. _'Is this really the right thing to do…?'_ she thought to herself. Suddenly, the thought of returning to… that… made her cringe. _'I must… They'll only… only…'_ she wanted to cry, but Uncle Ingo would get mad at her. No, she couldn't cry. Not now.


	23. Ingo's Revenge

_**Author's Note(s)**_: Huge fix in this chapter. Sorry, guys, but I forgot that removes all my scene splitters, so last time I submitted this chapter the first scene ended and skipped right into the next one. It has been repaired now, and I've stuck spell checker on this chapter, so that should repair a few typos I may have made. Normally I always use spell checker, but I forgot to last time.

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 23: Ingo's Revenge**_

Ingo had changed from stubby ranch hand into a powerful sorcerer. This was obviously the work of the Sorceress they had heard so much about. The circular platform they stood on was perfectly round and reached the length of one hundred feet in diameter. This made plenty of room to maneuver, but it still proved dangerously small due to the searing hot dome of fire that surrounded them on all sides.

The new sorcerer charged a ball of flames in his hands and shot it toward the trio on the opposite end of the platform. Link jumped to the left and Saria jumped to the right, but Relm slid under it. She rolled forward quickly and kicked Ingo's legs from under him. He lost his balance and collapsed, but vanished before hitting the ground.

Relm spun around, trying to locate him, but was suddenly knocked forward with a swift kick. Ingo then retaliated by immediately launching a ball of dark energy towards her. However, Link jumped in front and blocked the move with his shield. Ingo pressed harder, using both hands to hold the energy blast.

The hero finally gave way and was knocked backwards by a few dozen feet. In the meantime, Relm had regained her footing and was able to get out of the way of the blast that followed, which missed both her and Link because Link had fallen under its reach.

Ingo quickly countered again, raising his left hand now and charging a blast of dark energy. Link was still regaining his footing and Relm was trying to help, so neither saw it coming. He shot it out, but suddenly he felt wood strike against his hand hard and the blast was sent hurtling off in a different direction. He turned to see Saria standing there, holding the bow in her hands.

She quickly backed away, but Ingo shot forward with both hands and electrical pulses shocked her. She dropped the bow and the pulsing energy tore it apart before it even hit the ground. Saria felt the tingling spread up her arms and onto her shoulders, then down her body. She collapsed to her knees, pain coursing through her body.

Link gasped out, racing beside her. "Saria!"

Relm watched this, ashamed. When Saria diverted Ingo's attack, both Link and Relm had realized that Ingo almost killed them while they were distracted. Now Saria was the one in trouble. The girl swiped out her knives and charged straight towards Ingo, hoping to distract Ingo long enough to keep Link and Saria safe.

All while this had been going on, Sheila had ducked to the side near the edge of the platform and just watched everything. She didn't know where to turn to. She was no use in a fight, and she didn't really like Uncle Ingo, either, but she also didn't want to be punished. If she just stayed here, everything would be fine… but now she wasn't so sure.

The green-clad boy, Link, was next to the other girl, the one with the green hair. The red-haired girl was jumping around Uncle Ingo, swiping here and there, but she was mostly missing. It didn't even look like she was trying to hit him. Uncle Ingo kept throwing blasts at her, but she was too swift to get hit.

Looking at him now, Uncle Ingo really didn't look like such a good man. Then again, was he ever? All he did was boss her around. 'Sheila do this', 'Sheila do that'! _'Did he truly ever care about me? He was just using me the whole time…'_

New strength coursed through her. Sheila jumped to her feet and whipped out an arrow, slinging it into the bow. She aimed, and fired.

Ingo never suspected that Sheila would actually betray him. As such, he was greatly surprised to feel metal slicing through his arm from behind him and seeing an arrow whizz past into the flames ahead. Relm herself was deeply surprised to see this, as well, but considering the fact that she had seen Sheila in the corner, and then saw her aim, she was able to dodge it easily enough, unlike Ingo. Actually, Relm had thought that the ranch girl was aiming at her, as opposed to Sheila's own 'adopted father.'

The power-hungry Ingo spun back, flames bursting in his eyes. "TREACHEROUS WENCH!" he cried out.

Sheila gasped at the sight, backing closer to the flames. Ingo approached her, eyes burning with hatred. She cried out. "I… I thought you cared about me! But now I see… that you never really did…"

Ingo's hands burst into flame. "I. WILL. DESTROY. YOU!" he screamed out, raising his hands above his head.

Sheila sealed her eyes tightly as he threw down his hands.

_**XXXXX**_

Link pulled the blanket back over Saria and tucked her in. Her chest heaved in and out, confirming to him that she was in fact alive. He turned back to the doorway and saw Sheila standing there. "Is she going to be alright?" she asked.

Link nodded in reply. "She'll be fine. She must have some sort of immunity to the spell."

Sheila gave off a sigh of relief. "Good."

The hero stood up, again, walking towards the young, white-haired girl. "You know what we must do next, right?"

She nodded solemnly. "I understand," Sheila said, her eyes tearing up a bit. "I'm not going to like it, but it was unfair to Malon that she was treated this way in the first place. At first I thought Ingo truly cared about me, which is why I kept listening to all his demands… but back there, in his power-craving madness… I realize that it was all he ever wanted…"

"If it wasn't for Relm's quick movement, you'd be dead now," Link added in reply.

Sheila nodded. "I know."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Link laughed. "Speaking of which…"

Sheila pulled the door open and Relm walked in, carrying a medallion in her hand; undoubtedly the other to the pair. She turned to Sheila, showing it to the white-haired girl. "Is this it?"

Sheila nodded. "Yes, that's the one. There are two of them. The other, of course, I've been wearing. I don't know why I kept it. It's not all that fancy. I guess it's just that Ingo wanted me to keep it on as a safeguard."

"Well," Link butted in, "let's get this over with," he said, looking to Sheila. "I'll admit… You're not the girl I thought you were. At first I thought you were just as bad as Ingo, but now I see that you were only being used, as well. I don't want to do this, but it's the right thing."

Sheila lowered her head, but slowly shook it up and down. "I understand."

The three of them left the building and headed outside of what was known as Lon Lon Inn. The horse known as Melinda, which was of course actually Malon, trotted up to them, nudging Link on the side. He patted her nose. "Don't worry. You'll be your normal self soon."

Back in the first room in the first floor of the Lon Lon Inn, Saria's eyes slowly opened. She shook her head, glancing around the room. She then stood up and slowly made her way to the window, her head throbbing. Outside, she saw Link, Relm, and Sheila, along with the horse Melinda, which she now knew was Malon.

She watched, perking her ears up to try and figure out what was going on.

"So how does this thing work?" Relm asked.

Sheila sighed. "I don't know, exactly… I think you just have to put one of them onto each participant. I don't think it matters which goes on who."

Link nodded in reply. "Very well, then." He turned back to Relm. "I'll take Sheila's, and you hold that one. After Sheila strips, carefully put that one onto her. I'll them put Sheila's onto Malon. It doesn't seem to matter which goes to whom, so we should be fine."

Link proceeded to take Sheila's medallion, and then he motioned for Malon to stand directly behind Sheila about fifty feet away. Sheila stripped her clothes and laid them on the ground, and then knelt down, feeling awkward. Link motioned to Relm, and the red-haired girl carefully walked over and placed the medallion over Sheila's neck. Link then placed the one in his hands around Malon's.

Both Relm and Link quickly turned towards the house, trying to avoid seeing what was about to transpire. A few seconds later, Sheila collapsed down to her knees, feeling the changes in her body take place. Malon's long, red hair flowed back from her head, and she breathed in heavily. "I'm… I'm back to normal…" she said at last.

Link turned around, but quickly turned back. "Um… I think you may want to get some clothes on, red…"

Malon blushed, looking herself over. "Yes… That would be a good idea…"

The young woman rushed into the house and disappeared. After a short while, she came back out again, sporting a long, brown dress. "Whew… I'm glad I can still fit into this," she stated, laughing out.

Saria just stared in amazement. It wasn't so much the transformation that took place. She, like Link and Relm, had turned away when that occurred. It was what she was now seeing that startled her. "Th-that's Silhouette…" she muttered to herself.

The white mare turned back to Link, tears welling up in the eyes. Link petted her nose, sighing. "I'm sorry, but it's the only way…"

Suddenly, though, a golden aura surrounded her. The blast caused Link and Relm to be shot backwards about a dozen yards. Malon was knocked off her feet, as well, hitting the side of the building.

A blast of energy surrounded the horse-turned-girl-turned horse again, and the sky grew dark for a few seconds. Suddenly, Sheila crashed into the ground, once again human, and once again bare.

She gasped in stunned surprise, and then quickly retrieved her clothes, but didn't put them on. Link, Relm, and Malon pushed themselves back up, staring at the scared little girl they saw, which was also the same Sheila they knew.

"Wh-what's happening…?!" she cried out.

"The magic cannot restore you to that form…" a slithering, hissing voice called out.

From the shadows, the beaten, battered form of Ingo stepped out. He looked like a ghastly version of his old self, and everyone was petrified, knowing that he should now be dead after Relm stabbed him in the back. He looked almost like a zombie.

"Hehehe… Fools… You cannot…kill me… Hehehe… As for dear Sheila… She wasn't born a horse… No…"

Malon raised an eyebrow. "But I thought—"

Ingo laughed out. "You thought that I found her that way? No… I was wandering near the forest to the southeast, and near the edge of the woods, I saw this young child, appearing to be about the size of a toddler, but actually less then a year old."

"This girl was the Sheila you know. She was an albino, or, she had pure white hair. She was also wearing a strange, green pendant, which sparkled in the light of the sun… I took her back to the ranch, but I didn't know what to do with her. Unfortunately, I never knew that the pendant allows it's wearer to adapt to the environment he or she is placed in. I didn't want Malon to see her, so I made room in one of the horse stalls in the barn, wrapping her up in blankets. The next day… I come out to find a white horse. I knew that it was Sheila, though. I gave her the name Silhouette, and told Malon that I had found a stray in my travels."

"So…" Relm stated, "the medallion could not restore Sheila to her original form… because that wasn't her original form."

Ingo laughed out. "Precisely!"

"So it restored her to her rightful form," Link added.

Ingo shook his head. "No, you fool… Have you not seen her, yet?! Just look at this monstrosity!"

The old man pointed to Sheila, and everyone turned to her. Her ears had shifted position, and were now on the top of her head. She had a white tail behind her, and her feet were just like horse hooves. However, the rest of her body was just like her normal, human self. She was now effectively stuck midway between horse and human.

Sheila collapsed to her knees, crying. Link shook his head. "I don't see a monstrosity… I see a poor little girl with need of friends, and with a need to find a cure to her problem, but a monster? No. Actually, that tail makes her look rather cute."

Saria spat. She turned around crawled underneath her blankets, sobbing. This wasn't turning out the way she had hoped. She loved him… but he clearly didn't love her.

Sheila dried up her tears, smiling. "Th-thank you…" she muttered, softly.

Relm sighed. "So, what do we do with this creep?" she asked, motioning to Ingo.

Malon stepped forward. "His power is gone. How he is still alive, that I don't understand."

"Sheila," Link stated, "I think you may want to put those clothes on, now…"

She nodded and rushed into the closest place she could find—the barn. She came back out wearing her old clothes, though she was unable to keep her shoes on due to the lack of feet, and she also had to poke a hole through her skirt to fit her new tail, but otherwise, she looked mostly normal.

Ingo coughed and collapsed to his knees. "Arrgh… I won't… die here…"

Relm rolled her eyes. "You have no hope of survival, Ingo. It's four against one, and we've got another upstairs, if she ever wakes up."

Ingo hissed, staring down at the ground. Suddenly, he reared himself up, turned to the sky, and screamed out loud. The clouds parted, and the earth shook beneath them. Everyone except Ingo fell to their knees. Lightning struck the ground, and after the dust settled, a figure stepped out, his garments wrapped so tightly around him that no one could see who it was.

Link knew, though. He had seen this person before, and he knew that this was no he. The hero of time swiped out the Master Sword, pointing it directly towards her. "YOU!" he spat out.

The woman laughed. "Hehehe… Pretty sword…" she stated, before taking out her long, deep green staff. "…but my Scepter of Darkness is just as powerful as your Master Sword..."

Link gritted his teeth, charging forward. "You won't get away with this!"

She raised a hand up and emitted a swirling ball of dark power. It shot towards him and Link was thrown back, rolling across the ground. "I'm not here to play games, but I am here to have a little fun."

The sorceress laughed out and snapped her fingers together. Ingo suddenly rose into the air, swirling energy emitting around him. Ingo screamed out in pain and his muscles bulged and horns emerged from his skull.

Saria came rushing out of the building, staring at the colossal beast that was just created. "What's going on out here?!"

The sorceress turned to her, smiling. "Hello, dear, hehehehe…"

The green-haired girl turned to the voice and suddenly gasped, backing away. "It's… it's you!"

The woman stepped forward, her eyes glowing an eerie, deep green. "I'll deal with you later," she stated, then turned back to what was once Ingo. "Awaken, Gemini! Destroy these infidels…"

In an instant, she was gone. However, Ingo had been transformed into a large, red, minotaur-like monster. He charged forward and Link jumped aside. Sheila pulled out her bow and Relm remove her daggers. Malon had no weapon to use, though.

"Run, Malon!" Link called out. "We'll deal with him! Take Epona and run!"

Malon backed away, and then quickly did as Link as. She mounted Epona and kicked her heels together. "Hiya!" she cried, and the horse darted off out of the ranch.

Ingo turned around, roaring out. "Now… I can exact my revenge! You dessstroyed my future, so I ssssshall dessssstroy you!"

Link sighed. "This is going to be interesting…"


	24. How to Save a Life

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 24: How to Save a Life**_

Link jumped back as Ingo dashed passed him, charging in a bull-like fashion. The Hero of Time managed to take a few slices across Ingo's legs with his sword before the former human was out of his reach.

Malon had already escaped, as had most of the horses. Now the ranch was being torn apart by an enraged Ingo, transformed by the dark powers of the sorceress and the Scepter of Darkness. The silo was torn down, the corral smashed to pieces, and the barn utterly demolished.

The house was still mostly in one piece, though, while the inn hadn't been touched at all. It was clear that, despite no longer being human, Ingo still didn't want to ruin his prized creation. Of course, most of the damage was caused from him trying to destroy the four little people running around on the ground.

In his current form, Ingo was now twice as tall as his original self, and about two and a half times the size of Link. He was also now much bulkier, and even apparently younger than before, too. Of course, most of that bulk was rippling muscles, now partially covered in hair. Apparently, this creature 'Gemini' was some sort of minotaur-like creature.

The newly reformed Sheila, and also Saria, had climbed on top of the hilly outcropping of the ranch behind the house and starting sniping out Ingo. Relm and Link stayed below to fight with their bladed weapons; Relm wielding her traditional twin daggers, and Link fighting with the Master Sword.

Of anything they could possibly use, though, the Master Sword appeared to be the far most effective. With every cut, black ooze seeped out and Ingo cried out in pain. Relm's blades simply bounced off, as did the incoming volleys from above. Ingo was more powerful than ever before now, and that did not change the evil within his heart.

The beastly creature spun around and charged back at Link. Link jumped to the side, but Ingo's fist collided into his side as he can running by. Link was thrown off hard into the stone wall surrounding the ranch.

Saria saw this and cried out. "Link!"

Ingo continued after Link, not paying attention to anything else. Link was the cause of all his troubles… Link stole the prized horse, Link uncovered his plans, Link spoiled his dreams, Link was the reason he was killed, and Link was the reason he was brought back as a monster. He was tired of Link ruining everything.

Saria quickly jumped onto a vine jutting from the hillside and slid along down it, much to Sheila's surprise. "Where are you going?!" she called back.

Relm darted forward and slashed at Ingo's back continuously, stroking her blades in a seamless motion as she cut into him, strike after strike. She swung her right dagger across just below the neckline, and then countered again with her left.

Despite how hard she tried, though, she barely put a dent into Ingo's hard skin. It was almost like it was armor-plated. She ducked left as Ingo suddenly made a quick backhand. At the very least, it took his attention away from Link briefly, which is exactly what she wanted.

Relm flipped backwards and a huge arm swung back to try and grab hold of her. Ingo charged for her, swinging his other arm back, but she was too fast for him. She rolled around him and grabbed hold of his right arm, swung around and onto his back. She raised her right hand and stabbed her dagger down repeatedly into his back, one after another. Suddenly, though, she was caught off guard…

A huge bulking hand clenched itself around her neck. She lost all focus and concentration, dropping both of her daggers onto the ground. She had anticipated that he would be unable to reach her, but apparently his new arms were more versatile than that. She had actually been able to damage him at last, but it took a lot of effort to make even the smallest scratch.

Relm clawed at the giant fist with all her might, trying to pull open the tight grip that threatened to take her life. She pulled hard, unwilling to give in, but finally her fingers slipped, and she could no longer move them the way she wanted to. Her body fell limp, and darkness overtook her.

Ingo growled at her loudly, and then quickly tossed her away like a ragged doll, her body slamming into the walls of the inn. She collapsed to the ground in a crumpled heap, choking slightly, but still completely unconscious.

Saria cried out again, seeing Relm now fall, as well. "No! You… you fiend!"

Ingo raised an eyebrow, glancing over to the green-garbed young girl before him, whom had apparently just arrived. He laughed out. "You… hehe… You're no better than I…"

She hissed. "I won't take any more of this! You're the fiend here! I won't let you hurt anyone else!"

Ingo laughed out, again. "So, little girl… What are you going to do? I am all powerful! Hehehe…"

Saria turned away, lowering her head. She slumped to the ground. Ingo laughed, again. "So, you're going to cry? Cry, then! Cry all you want. It won't save you."

She did cry slightly, but she knew what she was doing. She reared her head back and turned to the sky, throwing her hands high into the air and spreading them out. "Farore, Goddess of all things living and all things green, hear my cry… Give me the strength to end this nigh…"

Ingo laughed out. He charged her, swiping out with the bulking mass of flesh that was his arm. He reached forward towards her and slammed his fist into her body.

A barrier caused his hand to bounce off. He stepped back in surprise, looking down at the seemingly powerless girl. "Wh-what?!"

The wind rushed around her. Leaves from trees twirled and spun. Vines crept along the ground, wrapping themselves tightly around Ingo's feet. They grew up his body, pulling him into the ground slightly. Roots grew over his sunken legs, hard and dense; stronger than stone.

He struggled and struggled to free himself, but he could not move. The plant life covered him so thick that he was unable to break free, despite his strength. He wriggled and writhed, crying out, but to no avail.

Meanwhile, Link and Relm had already awoken and saw the spectacle in wonder. Link pushed himself to his feet, grabbed his sword off the ground, and Relm retrieved her daggers. Link turned to Saria, but then gasped out. "Saria!" he cried, racing towards her.

She fell into his arms. Apparently the power required for this move had sapped her energy. She shook her head and opened her eyes. "L-link…?"

He smiled. "I'm here, Saria. How are you doing?"

She sat up, rubbing her hand against her head. "A little sore… What about Ingo?"

"Relm, don't!" Sheila cried out, pulling back.

Relm just tossed her aside, snarling. "Don't you realize you've been manipulated all this time?! By this fool?! He deserves to die!"

Link walked up to her and placed a hand on his shoulder. "She knows, Relm. She knows. However, what will killing him do? It won't solve anything. Leave the king and queen to deal justice to him."

She pushed him off and walked away. "Hmph… Whatever…"

Link sighed. "She's such a hot-head…"

Sheila laughed out in reply. "Heh… You're right."

Saria pushed herself to her feet and walked over to Link. "So, what do we do—" but she never finished her statement.

Ingo broke his hand free and clasped it tightly around Saria's stomach, squeezing her hard. He pulled himself out of his confinement and reared his head back in triumph. "Hahahaha! Did you truly think that this trap would hold me, little girl? It was surely a challenge, and you certainly have great power… but it is not enough to stop me!"

He spun around, gripping Saria tightly in his fist. "I will destroy you all… starting with this girl!"

"No!" Link cried out, charging forward.

Ingo simply slapped him away with his free hand. Link skidded across the ground.

Relm dashed ahead, jumping into the air and kicking at him. "Hiya!"

He grabbed her legs and swung her around, finally letting go. She flew off into the rock formation just next to where the inn was built.

Sheila collapsed to her knees, crying. "Wh-why?! Why did you have to… to… You weren't the best, but you were still… better than this!"

Ingo laughed. "I have power beyond all my wildest dreams! I need nothing more. You mean nothing to me any more, you traitor! I'll tear you apart, like I did with those two!"

He raised Saria up and slammed her into the ground. He marched forward straight for Saria, raising his hands high into the air. She just watched, staring up at him, pure innocence in her eyes.

For a second, he stopped. But only for a second, for he immediately threw his hands forward, down into the girl below…

A horse cried out from behind. He spun around, unable to finish the job, and saw Malon back at the entrance, riding on Epona's back. "Ingo, I always thought I could trust you… I never thought you would go to such extremes! But… but I guess I was wrong…"

He laughed out. "Ha! What's that supposed to mean?!"

"This!" a new voice called out.

Suddenly, he felt something like hundreds of tiny needles sticking into his back. He clawed at them, trying to pull them out, but they were sunk in too deep. All he did was push the ones there in further, and even get some of them caught in his hands. He collapsed to his knees, crying out.

Swift footsteps echoed out around him. He looked up and saw a thin figure wearing blue garments and wrapped tightly with bandages, similar to a mummy. However, the figure clearly had strands of hair sticking of his… or was it her…? …wrappings.

The figure kicked him in the face and then rolled over top, wrapping a chain around his neck and pulling him up. It then turned to Link, calling out in a clearly feminine voice. "Link! Use the Master Sword, now!"

Link nodded, removing his sword. He didn't like killing, but in this case, it was a necessity. If Ingo didn't fall now, he would keep killing. When he was put to a halt earlier, it seemed like everything was fine… but it wasn't.

He stepped in front of Ingo, the ghastly creature ranting and raving, trying to reach out with his arms, but every time he tried to grab Link, the mystery girl pulled back on the chains. "Ingo," Link began, "I did not want it to end this way… but you leave me no choice."

He glanced back to Relm, who was recovering again, and then back to Sheila. Finally, he glanced down at Saria a few feet away, whom was now being tended to by Malon. Link's eyes met Ingo's once again. "It's over. You are already dead, anyway."

Ingo ranted and raved, but then suddenly cried out as that horrid, treacherous blade pierced his heart. His cry could've woken the dead… despite the fact that he already was.

Lightning flashed in the sky out of nowhere, and Link watched as Ingo's body melted into black goo. Above, the sorceress appeared once more, holding the scepter high. She licked her lips in delight as the misty goo twirled around and poured down into her scepter.

Link gasped out in surprise. "Wh-what?!"

She laughed. "Mmm… This is a delicious feast you have given to me… The soul of this one is tainted black… the ones I like best… hehehehe…"

He narrowed his eyes, repeating the words in his mind as the silhouette vanished. _'She's a reaper of souls…'_ he thought softly to himself.

* * *

_**Author's Note(s)**_: Okay, that's it for now. Don't fret, though; after having the blues about not being able to work on the game anymore, I'm really hyped to write more SoD. Chapter 25 is already in production. As for some things about this, I was a little unsure of how I should portray a few things, such as this whole encounter with Ingo, but I think it turned out well. Still, let me know how you feel about it. My favorite part is definitely how this ends, though.

Another is the title. Ingo's Revenge, the title of the previous title, probably was better for this one. However, I didn't have another chapter there, and I really wanted to use this title, so I left it the way is currently is. The last thing I have to note is about Saria. In the original plans, I never intended on getting her into that situation. I also thought about a possible side effect, but wasn't sure what to do. Third, after I came up with this whole idea, I was going to keep her unconscious throughout the entire battle, but I decided not to do this.

If you're curious about something else, as well, currently in the fic, approximately 10 of the 21 playable characters in the game have already appeared. 3 more will appear by the end of this story. Two of them are sages. Can you guess who? (P.S. I already have planned who the characters are. I don't have everything down yet, but I know who they will be. Some of them you really won't be expecting...)

Anyway, that's over with. Stay tuned for more, hopefully soon. And no, this snippet wasn't thrown in to try and make this chapter look longer. XD


	25. Saria's Denial

_**Author's Note(s)**_: Well, that WAS a lot quicker, wasn't it? And don't worry, guys. This time I remembered to use spell checker. And to fix my scene breaks. Speaking of which, the last three chapters have also been updated, as I kinda rushed them out and missed a few things.

This chapter took a while primarily because of the filler nature of it. That's when I decided to use the fact that it's a filler chapter to my advantage and explain a little more about Saria. The second half was rushed through, but really, it was all boring stuff, so I didn't want to deal with writing all that. I hope it doesn't damage the quality any...

Oh, and I've also now fully finished my chapter outline for Scepter of Darkness, though I already did know what I had planned for the outcome. And as for fillers, the next three-to-four chapters are not. You should expect those ones pretty quick. The fillers are really the harder ones I have to get past because I don't know what exactly I want to do in these brief segments.

Anyway, enjoy.

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 25: Saria's Denial**_

Link assisted Malon in helping Saria recover from the beating she had taken. She was rather sore, but felt alright. Afterwards, he went out into the hall of the first floor of the inn, turned left and walked east down the corridor, and leaned up against the wall next to the window. There was a staircase going down just to his left, and the staircase to the third floor was just to his right.

He began thinking more about what had happened. Relm had also taken quite a beating, and Link himself was badly bruised, but Sheila was only scraped up a bit. The new girl, on the other hand, had come right at the last second, and just when Ingo was already wearing down. First she had thrown a bunch of tiny needles into Ingo's back, and then wrapped her chain around his neck to hold him in place. Normally it wouldn't have done much good, but he was already severely weakened, and the needles only added to the pain, further weakening him and leaving him vulnerable.

Sheik, as she called herself, was truly a hero that night. Of course, Link knew who she was, as did Relm. She didn't want her identity to be known, though, so the three talked in private, much to the surprise of the others… especially Saria. She seemed quite tense, recently, though Link realized that she had gone through a lot already, and now she had taken a few severe beatings right in a row.

This truly angered Link more than anything else. Even he was tempted to kill Ingo then and there when Ingo was trapped by Saria's power, but realized that he shouldn't. Then he ended up doing it, anyway, when Ingo broke free and captured Saria, then severely wounded he and his comrades.

Of course, it seems that nothing Link himself did truly mattered. It was all about the Sorceress. She was behind it all. She masterminded the entire thing with Ingo in the first place, gave him dark powers, and then transformed him into a monster… all the while tricking Ingo with power so that she could steal his soul.

That was another question, though. What did she want with his soul? Clearly there is more to this than meets the eye. Obviously she couldn't steal away his soul unless he was killed…

Link's eyes lit up. _'Wait, she's also the one who masterminded the Masa attack! They were after Saria! They were tricked into trying to kill her by sacrificing her to Volvagia… Then, after Ingo appeared, she said something about 'I'll come back for you, later,' and was looking towards Saria…'_

"She wants Saria's soul…" Link muttered to himself. "But… why…?"

Link looked up, sighing. _'There's still too much I don't know... I can't jump to conclusions so quickly, but maybe…'_

He pushed himself away from the wall and trudged back down the hallway. There were four rooms per floor, and all of them were on the south side, which was currently to his right. He walked up to the door of the second room and knocked lightly. Link waited a little while, but there was no answer. He knocked again, but again there was no answer.

"Saria…?" he asked, knocking again.

He paused. Nothing.

Link narrowed his eyes. He backed away, but then quickly charged forward with a flying kick. The door swung open.

"SARIA!" Link cried out, rushing into the room.

An evil power flowed through the room. Saria stood at the enter, arms at her side, staring directly towards the window, still as stone, as if she was in a trance… the silhouette of the Sorceress hovering a few feet in front of her. Her eyes were filled with a pure, bright green, eerie glow.

Link raised his sword above his head and slashed it across the silhouette. The image vanished. Saria blinked a couple times, collapsing forward. However, Link caught her quickly. When she opened her eyes again, they were back to normal.

"Saria, are you alright?" he asked.

She shook her head, and then looked up. "L-Link…?"

Link nodded. "Saria, I don't think you told me everything. There's something going on around here, and I can't help you unless you tell me."

She backed away quickly, but tripped and fell back into the bed. She sat up, but stopped quickly and turned away. "I… I don't know…" she muttered to herself.

He sighed, again, turning away and crossing his arms in front of him. "You're a poor liar."

Tears began to form in Saria's eyes, but she rubbed them away with her hand. Link noticed, though, and walked toward her. "Saria…?"

She looked down.

Link sat next to her and raised his right index finger to her eye. "You're crying…" he muttered.

She turned and sunk into his chest, the tears pouring down. "I… She's trying to control me… She's trying to use me as a catalyst for her own gains. I'm too… weak… to resist… This is why she wants me dead. If I'm dead, she can restore my body and take it for her own, for she has none of her own."

Link opened his eyes, wide. "But… wait… I fought her!"

She looked up to him. "Did you really…?"

He closed his eyes, thinking things over. "Wait… no… She never touched me personally, and I never touched her…"

"Her power is strong now that she has awakened," Saria added, "but she still has no physical body to call hers. She's bound to the scepter."

Link closed his eyes. _'Is this what Rauru meant…? Maybe he wasn't warning me that the Sorceress was trying to control Saria…'_

"I'm sorry," he replied. "I didn't understand the situation. I realize now why you were keeping it secret. I won't question you any more."

A smile appeared on Saria's face. "Thank you…" she muttered, backing away a bit. "It means so much to know that you're here by my side… just like old times…"

Link laughed. "Except in that case, it was more so you by my side."

She nodded. Shortly after, though, she sighed again, sitting down next to Link. "I don't remember the last time I played the Ocarina… I still remember my song… I don't know how well I'd be able to play it now, though."

Link chuckled a bit. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'd do just fine. You know that your song is quite popular, correct? Others have heard it and said it was beautiful, and so full of life. I'm sure they'd like to hear it again."

She sniffed, looking up. "Like… who…?"

"Like Darunia, also known as Big Brother, the leader and patriarch of the Goron tribe. He loved the song so much he danced like crazy after hearing it."

She blinked. "You've met Darunia?! So… it was you who played it for him? He came to the forest one day seeking the one who sang the song, and everyone redirected him to me, for they knew it was my song. This was about five years after you left. After this, he came by once every week just to hear me sing. I learned much about the sages, and of my duty as the Forest Sage."

Link nodded. "Ah… that explains it… So Darunia is the one who taught you about the sages?"

She nodded her head. "Yes, he did, but I didn't know I was a sage right away. He began telling me more about them and about the seven sages from the seven regions. When he mentioned the Forest Sage, I questioned him about it, but he said he didn't know who it was, yet. He wouldn't tell me who the others were, either. This got me curious, so I wandered into the Forest Temple, and that's when it happened…"

She paused for a bit, but then continued, "I traveled to the depths, and I heard a voice calling my name. A light enveloped me, and I awoke in a large room with stars around me, and seven stands. I looked down and saw the forest symbol at my feet. Suddenly, six others appeared in front of me, and the eldest stepped into the center platform. He explained that he was Rauru, the Light Sage, and that I had now been awakened as the Sage of Forest."

"Of course, Darunia was there, also, and I saw the other seven. Darunia remarked that he had been listening to me sing all this time and never knew I was the seventh sage. Apparently, except for the high sages, the sages of Time and of Light, the sages did not know the identities of those who had not yet been awakened."

"They also explained that the sages are actually eternal spirits of seven wise men from the far past. When the body of one sage dies, the spirit of that sage arises and remains in a spiritual form until a successor is found. The successors are often descendants of old sages, but this isn't always the case. Only a noble heart can bear the essence of the sages. Apparently, the chosen are already known upon birth, and the spirit enters into the chosen one upon birth, but the power does not enter the chosen until he or she is awakened."

Link nodded his head. "Hmm… That is interesting… I've known about the sages for a long time, but I've never known all of this..."

A knock on the door startled the two of them, and they quickly jumped up. "Who?!" Link asked.

He didn't have to do that at all, though. Link left the door open, so Sheila simply knocked on the inside of the door and peeked around the corner. "Hey," she proclaimed, "are you guys coming down any time soon? Malon wanted to know where we should go next."

Link sighed. "We'll be down in a minute. Go tell her that, please."

Sheila nodded in reply. "No problem. Should I—"

"Just go!" Saria called out, giggling.

Sheila rolled her eyes. "Fine."

She disappeared, again, and Saria turned back to Link. "So, what is it? It's obvious that you wanted to tell me something."

Link nodded. "The truth is… I really don't know where to go next. However, I have a strong urge to go to the forest. I need to talk to the Great Deku Tree. Maybe he can answer some of our questions. Right now, many questions have been solved, thanks to you, but… I'm still not sure… There are too many loose ends. I want to talk to him."

Saria turned away, but didn't appear upset or sad. Instead, she seemed to be deep in thought. "Hmm… I've had that same urge…"

A smile crossed Link's face. "I know where we have to go next, then. Let's head outside first."

She turned back to face him. "Yes, of course… let's go!"

**_XXXXX_**

Sheila ran out to Malon and explained everything that Saria and Link had told to her. Sheik stood in the middle of the path leading to the exit of the ranch, and Relm was leaning up against the side of the rock formation in front of Malon's house. When Saria and Link finally got back outside, though, everyone grouped together and talked things over.

Link explained the plan about returning to the forest. Sheila desired to go with, as well, hoping to find a way to restore herself fully back into a human. Relm and Sheik, on the other hand, wanted to go along for the adventure. The only problem, though, was that there were only two horses. Malon then offered to lend one of her horses, and Relm reluctantly agreed to let Sheila ride behind her.

As soon as everything was settled, the four of them rode off. Beforehand, though, Link agreed to come back later and help Malon rebuild the ranch, but that would have to wait until this whole thing was settled.

As usual, it took many hours to reach the forest. Time now passed into the late afternoon, as they had spent the first bit of time riding down to the ranch, and much of the time they were battling. With all that trouble, though, they had rested for quite a while before deciding on where to go next. Link and Saria, of course, kept their little situation secret, not wishing to get the others involved in this whole ordeal. They may learn about it later, but for now, they simply did not want to raise any suspicions.

For now, the three riders—and two passengers—continue the trek across the fields of Hyrule. They stopped briefly to get a drink at the riverbed, but quickly pressed on and finished the ride to the forest. Saria questioned Link a bit, but Link was insistent that he knew what he was doing. So, they journeyed deeper into the woods, and then came to the maze…

"Every path looks exactly the same…" Relm muttered, riding up beside Link.

"Indeed…" Sheik added.

Saria sighed. "Link, what do we do now? How'd you get through?"

Link smiled. "It's a maze the Ordonians cut out and worked through in order to ward off intruders. We should simply be able to ride straight through and reach the village. It's supposed to confuse those who would trespass and make them think that they aren't getting anywhere. Let's go."

The others looked strangely at him, but agreed to follow behind. Link led the way, Saria riding with him, followed by Relm and Sheila, then Sheik in back. They road straight through, ignoring the appearances around them, and sure enough, they saw a clearing in the distance... along with two armed guards holding spears.

"Halt!" they called out.

Link raised a hand. "It is I, Link. I wish to seek passage further into the woods."

The two raised their eyebrows. They stood tall and saluted. "Sir Link...? Please enter! You are most welcome here."

Saria gasped out in surprise. "Wh-what?!"

Link smiled. "Don't worry. They trust me. See, I told you we'd make it through alright."

The three riders road further into the village, and were promptly greeted by the chief. He graciously welcomed them, and also apologized to Saria about what happened before. The five dismounted and were offered dinner, to which they obliged. Over dinner, the chief explained everything that had happened.

Strangely, during dinner, a messenger arrived…

"Chief, a girl has come out of the forest. She is looking for someone, but she specifically gave three names—Link, Saria, and Sheila. She said that she wanted these three and these three only."

Everyone turned to Sheila, stunned. She then opened her eyes wide, very much startled. "M-me…?!"

Saria turned back to Link. "I can understand us… I mean, the Great Deku Tree knows us… but Sheila?!"

On the other side of the table, Relm lowered her head. "So I guess that doesn't include me, then, huh?"

Link turned to her, nodding. "Apparently…"

The chief's wife then spoke up. "I'm sure you two can stay at our inn for the night. It'll be free for you. You can rest up while your friends are away."

"Thank you," Relm replied.

Link glanced around the table, looking to his left passed both Saria and Sheila, then across to where Relm sat, as well as the chief's wife to her left, and then to the right, where the chief sat. "Um… Where's Z… er, Sheik."

Relm's mouth dropped. "I… She was sitting next to me, but I guess she slipped away while everyone was distracted."

Link sighed. "I'd better go talk to her…"

Saria stood up, as well. "I'll go—"

He shook his head. "You stay here for now. I'll come back and get you and Sheila when I'm done and we'll go into the forest. I need to take care of this alone."

Saria watched Link leave. She didn't want to think about what he was planning to do. This Sheik was dressed like a male, but everyone knew Sheik was actually female. And Link and Relm apparently knew something about her that no one else knew.

Outside, Sheik stood next to the fountain at the center of town, playing with the water. She had pulled her bandages off slightly, revealing part of her long blond hair and her face. Anyone seeing her now could clearly attribute her to Princess Zelda.

"Hey, how you doin'?" Link asked, walking out to her.

Zelda sighed. "Are you coming out here to try and cheer me up?"

Link stopped next to her, chuckling a bit. "Heh… Well, that was the point… What seems to be the problem?"

She shook her head. "I… I came out here for an adventure. That's the main reason I went with you guys. I was being held back at the castle, not allowed to go anywhere… now when I'm finally off with you guys, I'm not allowed to travel further. Relm is being held back, too, but she's already been traveling with you a little while!"

Link shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know what to tell you… There must be a reason. Sheila was definitely a surprise, but I'm sure we can handle that. I'm just wondering why only three of us are allowed to go. Don't you worry, though; you'll still get some action. We'll come back and continue on again. You will see an adventure."

Zelda smiled. "I hope you're right."

The hero smiled back, and then returned to the house. However, he was stopped halfway. "Link, you have been summoned. Please, find your friends, and come with me," the girl said.

Link raised his eyes in stunned astonishment. "Wait… It's you! You're the girl I saw before, in the Sacred Forest Meadow…"

The young green-haired girl smiled. "You can call me… Nala."

He nodded back. "Alright, then, Nala… What do you want with us?"

The girl shook her head. "No, it is not I who wants you. I have been sent by the Great Deku Tree to lead you to the Kokiri Forest. Before, it was not time. Now it is time, and he wants to see you. Now."

He narrowed his eyes. "Why only three of us? Why can't the others come along? And how did you know about Sheila, anyway?!"

"It is the will of the Great Deku Tree. Only you, Link, the Hero of Time, and Saria, the Sage of the Forest, and Sheila, Ranch-hand of Lon Lon, are allowed to enter the forest. The two princesses must wait here for your return."

Now Link was stunned beyond all belief. "This… isn't possible… How could you know all this?! Know our names, the fact that Relm is a princess… the fact that Sheik is actually Zelda…"

"I have known you and Saria for a long time," Nala began, "but as for the others, that is a question for another day. You must bring Saria and Sheila to me, and I shall escort you."

Link nodded. "Very well, then."

He turned away and started to head back to the chief's house. He reached his hand for the door, but turned back to the young green-haired girl. _'She can't be as young as she looks… There's obviously more to her than meets the eye… Just who IS she…?'_ Link wondered.

'_Well, I'll learn soon enough,'_ Link reasoned, before finally turned his head back, turning the knob, and sliding the door open. "Saria, Sheila… It's time to go."


	26. Unwelcome Reunions

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 26: Unwelcome Reunions**_

Nala, the young green-haired girl from the forest, lead Link, Saria, and Sheila deeper and deeper into the depths of the woods. Link had initially recognized the first two paths taken, but instead of heading toward the Sacred Forest Meadow, they turned the opposite direction and went deeper into the woods.

Saria hugged Link tightly as they wandered the woods, while Sheila simply walked closely behind. Nala led in front at all times. They turned through twisting paths, much different from what they had seen before, turning left, then right, and then left again.

Now, Link had absolutely no idea where he was. Everything seemed so different. And they were clearly very deep into the woods. How far were they, now…? He did not know. It seemed like they had been traveling for hours. Still, though, they persisted, until Nala suddenly stopped.

The young girl turned around, a little less than half the size of Link, and looked up to them. "The way is near. Be careful, though; some of the Kokiri have not taken kindly to your absence."

After Nala turned back around and continued to head forward, Link turned to Saria. "Do you know what she's talking about…? Why would they even remember me?"

Saria lowered her head. "She wasn't about you…"

Link sighed. _'It figures…'_

They moved on a little further and soon saw a pair of trees boarded up with a makeshift gate. A series of trees on either side continued in a wide arc, all with more wood connecting them together and forming a large, long fence all the way around the village. Link didn't know what had happened to them before, but it clearly was not good.

Nala stepped up to the gate. "I have brought the three the Great Deku Tree has summoned. Open the gates."

There was a clanging sound on the other side of the gate, but it did not open. Suddenly, two cries echoed out from behind them and a pair of Kokiri rushed out behind Link, Saria, and Sheila, one with red hair and one with brown hair. At the same time, another jumped over the fence and landed on the ground, wielding a wooden pole in his hand.

The one with the pole stood tall and proud, especially for a Kokiri, but was still a lot smaller than even Sheila, let alone Link. He wore a thick, green cloak, with a cape hanging down behind him. His head was bare, showing off his messy blonde hair.

"How DARE you return here!" he demanded, pointing his weapon directly at Saria.

Link raised an eyebrow. "Mido…?"

The boy laughed. "Hah! And who might you be? You seem kind of familiar, but I don't recognize you. Saria is the real traitor, though. It's all her fault!"

Link pulled out his sword, brandishing it tightly in his hand. "What has she done?!"

Mido narrowed his eyes. "Saria left us to die; swallowed in the black emptiness of the dark powers of this world. We had to live our village and bury ourselves deeper and deeper into this pit of darkness and make our new home. I don't care what the others say; such actions deserve death!"

Saria gasped out, ducking behind Link. Sheila gasped, as well, but stood where she was.

Link shook his head. "I don't want to fight you, Mido, but I won't let you harm Saria!"

Mido narrowed his eyes. Then, though, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something. This stunned him. "The Kokiri Sword…?"

Saria looked down, seeing that the sword's position hand adjusted and was now visible over the side of her shoulder. She had placed it into her quiver to keep it safe. Why was Mido so interested in it, though?

Mido lowered his head, turning back to Link. "So, that's who you are… I supposed I shouldn't be surprised, though. It was only recently that I learned Kokiri actually age after leaving the forest, as opposed to literally dying. That's what happened Michelle!"

Saria and Link stepped back in surprise. "Michelle?! She left?!"

Mido nodded. "Yes… she left her twin sister here shortly after you left, Saria. She saw you leave and decided to pursue her own dreams outside the forest. She came back two years later, now much older. She wanted to visit Joan, again, and Joan was distraught at what had happened to her twin sister. We let them visit briefly, but then told Michelle that she had to leave."

"But… that's so cruel!" Sheila remarked, finally stepping into the spotlight. "You won't even let her visit her own sister?!"

Mido snickered. "Its how things have to be! The Kokiri are not supposed to age. That is part of who we are. Anyone who leaves the forest can never come back…" his eyes suddenly shifted to Link, "and that includes you, Link! Yes, I know who you are, now. I didn't recognize you at first, but you were the one who had the Kokiri Sword last."

Link stepped forward, Saria, still clinging to him from behind. "Very well, then. But you won't stop me from entering. We must speak with the Great Deku Tree!"

Mido raised his pole high above him. "I don't CARE what the Great Deku Tree says!" he began.

Link, Saria, and Sheila heard noise from behind. They turned around and noticed that the other two pulled out their own weapons; one wielding a wooden sword, and the other wielding a wooden club. Link turned back to face Mido again, though, as did Saria and Sheila.

"No matter what, I will not let you pass!" the big boss of the Kokiri called out.

"WAIT!" another voice called out, this one female.

The gate opened and another girl walked through. Link stared at her, surprised. "Fado?"

Fado stepped forward, looking at Mido, and then turned to the left to where Nala stood quietly, watching the ongoing argument. She turned back to Mido, again. "You seek to fulfill treason to the will of the Kokiri. Whatever they may have been done before, that is in the past. You cannot claim revenge for what you think they did before. Furthermore, the Great Deku Tree has summoned them. They need his guidance, lest the world comes to an end."

Mido collapsed to his knees. "I--"

Fado lowered her head. "Leave, now. It is best that you return home and rest."

Mido stood, again. "Yes, mistress…"

The boy picked up his pole and entered the village. The other two boys dropped their weapons and approached Fado, next. She eyed them. "You two are treated like slaves, yet you still follow him."

"But—" the redhead said.

The brown-haired one slapped the first. "Quite!" he snapped back.

Saria looked them over more closely. Suddenly, she recognized the red-haired one. "Is that you, Johnny?"

Johnny turned to her, sweat pouring down his face. He backed away a bit. "Um… hi, again, Saria… heh…"

"And who might you be?" she asked, turning to the brown-haired one.

He gulped, looking up at Saria. "I, uh… I'm called Urp…"

Sheila giggled a bit. "Teehee… that's a funny name…"

Urp glared at her. "It is not!"

"Settle down," Fado told them. "I think you should leave, now."

Johnny and Urp both turned to her, saluting. "Yes, sir, er, maam…"

They ran off, leaving only the three travelers, and the two Kokiri girls. Fado looked back up to Link. "It's been a while. Of course you remember me, do you not?"

Link nodded. "Yes, I've seen you before. Oddly, though, I knew your name, and I'd seen you in the forest, but I never saw you go home at night. In fact, I barely ever saw you at night at all. It's almost as if you… vanished."

Fado turned down. "That isn't the only time, though…" she looked back up to him. "You remember it. I met you in the Lost Woods, after you found the Master Sword…"

Link stared at her, blankly. "How… how do you know about that…? You shouldn't remember—"

Fado smiled. "I'm not a Kokiri. I may look like one, but I'm actually a spirit of the forest. I help to watch over the Kokiri children under direct orders from the Kokiri. Saria should know Nala, well, too…"

Saria suddenly stepped back in surprise. "N-nala?!"

Link raised an eyebrow. He turned to face Saria. "You didn't know—?"

Nala stepped toward Saria, lowering her head. She spoke up, interrupting Link. "Hello, Saria… It's been a while…"

Saria gasped. "You… YOU are Nala?!"

Nala nodded. She opened her eyes and they glowed a pure green. A few seconds later, an aura of light enveloped her, and in her place, there was a small fairy. Her wings spread out in a majestic, bright green, and she had a green aura engulfing her, making her body almost completely invisible.

Saria stepped forward, cautiously. "Nala… It's really you… I didn't think I'd ever see you again after I left the forest… You couldn't follow me outside, and you begged me not to leave, but I refused to back down… so you had to leave me…"

Nala nodded her head. "After you left, I returned to the Great Deku Tree, and he assigned me to help Fado watch over the Kokiri. I am sorry, Saria, but I cannot help you any more. Maybe someday, but for now, I must stay here."

The aura around the fairy grew outward, and she returned to her more human form. Sheila was perplexed by this, but then she turned to Fado. "Are… are you…?"

Fado eyed Sheila. "Ah, Sheila… Welcome back. Of course, though, you do not remember me. You were lost shortly after your birth. You awakened too near to the edge of the forest and were picked up by that man from the ranch. No matter, though. The Great Deku Tree knew about this, and now, your destiny shall begin to unravel."

Link, Saria, and Sheila were all stunned by this new realization. Both Link and Saria spoke at the exact same time. "SHE'S A KOKIRI!?" they both called out in stunned amazement.

Sheila raised an eyebrow. "I'm a Kokiri!? …but what's a Kokiri?"

Fado laughed, facing Sheila. "The Kokiri are the children of this forest. Kokiri never age so long as they stay in the confinement of the forest. However, should a Kokiri leave, they shall surely die. As you must know, now, it is not immediate. Instead, without the protective barrier of the forest, the Kokiri now will age and shall eventually die a natural death… unless they died in some other way."

"However…" she continued, "should a Kokiri live past a century, they must return to the forest, and become as spirits of life—fairies. These fairies are essentially what you may consider to be an adult Kokiri. They still retain their original appearance, but act as guardians and as messengers for the Great Deku Tree. Even fairies can die, though. Like with the Kokiri, however, they cannot die a natural death, and now are no longer confined to solely the forest, but most remain there."

Saria nodded her head. "So… that's where the fairies come from… You are not Kokiri now, but you once were? And that is why you look the way you do?"

Nala nodded her head. "Yes, Saria, that is true. Not all fairies look so young, though. Fairies have endless life like with Kokiri, but they can age a little further, though it's very slow. There is another fairy with us who is much older than wiser than we are. You shall meet with her soon."

Link nodded back. "Very well, then. Shouldn't we proceed into the village, now, though?"

"You still have some time left before you must see the Great Deku Tree," Fado added. "We will show you around the village."

Saria smiled. "That would be great. I want to see the Kokiri, again."

Fado walked towards the gate. Nala followed behind, but stopped and turned back. "Come on. We will show you around."

Link and Saria looked at each other and nodded, following up behind. Sheila, on the other hand, continued to stare blankly. All this new information was overwhelming. She didn't know what to think, anymore.

Saria stopped and turned back. "Hey, Sheila, aren't you coming?!"

Sheila looked up. "Uh… what?!"

Suddenly, she saw everyone running ahead. "Hey, wait for me!" she cried out, chasing after them. Another Kokiri went and closed the gate behind them.

_**XXXXX**_

From the shadows of distant trees, a silent figure watched the three travelers enter into the forest, being led by Nala and Fado. Two of the three travelers the person recognizes—one was Saria, the Forest Sage. Despite leaving the forest, she still kept her position as the Sage of the Forest. However, the other… the other was one she knew very well… Link, the Hero of Time…

A short while before they entered, Mido, Johnny, and Urp had already entered, but they quickly went home. Now, Geval, the former manager of the Kokiri Shop, ran up to the traveler's along with his best friend, Trent. Trent wasn't around when Link was, so Link was finally being introduced to him, now. Despite that, though, Trent has been around a while—approximately eight years after Link first left, he was born into the woods.

The traveler's talked a bit with Trent and Geval, and also with Fado some more. Joan arrived shortly later, still the perky little girl she was twenty years ago. She had gone through a little bit, though, after her twin sister left a few years ago. There were other Kokiri around, but simply were not up at this time. Others still were wandering about the village away from all the action. Many of the original Kokiri have now passed on, though, and a few left the forest, including Michelle, the second of the twins.

The teen-looking girl leaned a little more forward, trying to get a better look, but still not lose her cover in the bushes. A few more children went to greet Link and Saria, and also the third one a little bit, which the Great Deku Tree called "Sheila." She had heard of this girl, but never met her before. She was one of the "lost" Kokiri; those that leave the forest, but at least in her case, it wasn't really her fault; her "birth" into the woods was too near to the edge, and she was picked up by a man from the ranch… that dastardly Ingo.

They continued to talk a bit more, much to her annoyance… and to her advantage. She really didn't want to see Link just yet. Not now. But she knew that was inevitable. He'd find out. She wasn't really sure how he'd take it, learning that she'd been right here all this time.

Whatever the case, it mattered not at this moment. She just continued to watch, and then realized that Fado was clearly trying to push them to move forward. If only she could hear what they were saying…

Suddenly, a voice started her. "Miss Na—"

She quickly turned to the girl next to her that was pulling on her dress. She raised her finger to her lip, staring down at the girl. "Shh…"

"But—"

"Oh, there she is!" Nala called out, pointing to the tree at the far end of the village. "She's over there with Tracy."

She turned her head and faced them, now realizing she was caught. _'Crap…'_ she muttered to herself.

At the opposite end of the forest, Link looked on towards the pink-haired girl, wearing a light, purple dress. She was tall, and definitely much older looking than the other Kokiri. She still only looked like a teenager, though; about the same age as Saria was now. She stepped out from behind the tree and began to walk towards them, the Kokiri girl Tracy following behind.

The teen walked nearer and nearer to them, her head turned towards the ground. Link managed to only briefly catch a glimpse of her bright red eyes. Regardless, the girl seemed… somehow familiar… but he couldn't picture it. Link stared blankly, unsure of this new girl.

"So," Link finally stated, "you are the Guardian of the Forest, are you not?"

The girl looked up to him. "Yes. And you are the Hero of Time, Link, the one who sealed Gannondorf, traveled to another world and battle an ancient evil sealed within a mask, and has returned again, aging only five years in the span of twenty, to save the world once more. Yes, I know all about you, Link. Let us go see the Great Deku Tree, though. He will tell you more."

Link opened his mouth wide. How did she KNOW all of this?! He narrowed his eyes. "Who… who are you…?"

She sighed, turned around, and walked away. "The Great Deku Tree awaits…" she said at last. _'You will know who I am in due time, Link… and you're not going to like what you find…'_

* * *

_**Author's Note(s)**_: Well, that was quick! Of course, I figured these next couple would come by fairly fast. Actually, Chapter 27 is already done, too, but I'm not submitting it yet. I want to... delay it a bit... so that people can try and reason what just happened in this chapter. I'm sure most will guess it right away, but some may be surprised.

Oh, and in other news, my GF is posting her artwork of the characters on deviantART. As you should know, I started working on a game based on the Fanfiction (and then my free trial ran out, so I couldn't finish the demo), and she designed the artworks. Of course, there are six main characters that appear as major characters throughout both, as well as a few others, such as Romani and the Sorceress (NOT playable; she's a boss).

Anyway, you can find the pictures here: shadows-angel-zia11 DOT deviantart DOT com SLASH gallery. She doesn't have a folder for the RPG images yet. You can see the official SoD redesigns of the characters, including Saria (with and without the cloak), Zelda, Relm, Sheila, and Romani, but drawn much better than I was able to. Link looks pretty much the same he was in Ocarina of Time, mostly, and even then, he doesn't really change much. XD


	27. The Earth Spirit

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 27: The Earth Spirit**_

Link held out his hand as the girl walked away. "W-wait, you haven't even told me your name, yet!"

She sighed. "My name is not important right now. Please, the Great Deku Tree wishes to speak with you."

Link closed his eyes and sighed, as well. "Very well, then."

The girl led them through to the back end of the village. Saria clung to Link closely, as usual, while Sheila followed them and Nala and Fado came up behind. The other Kokiri watched, knowing where this was leading. They were all heading to see the Great Deku Tree.

Through the back of the forest, there was a long, twisting path that led deeper and deeper into the woods. The trees here were so thickly together that nothing could possibly make it through. The Great Deku Tree never moved from his position, while the Kokiri did. However, this path was formed and the trees grew up into the perfect position to make a safe passage for the children to walk through and see their guardian.

The path was very twisted, but it was well-made. It took the quickest route back around to the old home of the Kokiri, leading directly to the Great Deku Tree's domain. Any who tried to come this way from the outside would find this line of trees and be unable to pass, so they would have to go around. On the other hand, only those who knew the path to the village could possibly find the entrance in one piece.

It took a little while to finally reach the clearing, but they were successful, and soon, the six of them stood at the foot of the tall, graceful, gleaming Spirit of the Earth, the Great Deku Tree.

At once he began moving. He opened his mouth and spoke in a loud, thundering voice. **"Aaaaaaahhhh… You have arrived… Welcome home, Saria, Sage of the Forest… Welcome, Sheila, even though we were never able to know one another well…"**

His eyes turned, now looking down upon Link. **"Link… It's been a long time… You do not come by mistake… I knew you would return… However, I was not made known of the time until a short while before now… Tell me what it is you seek…?"**

Link sighed and stepped forward. "The truth is… I seek answers more than anything else. I need to know about the Sorceress, about the Scepter of Darkness, about Gannondorf's return… about everything! How could Hylia have aged so much when I only remember being gone for five years?! All of this is so confusing…"

"**Ahhhh… The answer to that question is but a simple one… The Lost Woods links to many places, as you know. You managed to enter a special link leading to an entirely different dimension, parallel to our own. This world was once a part of ours, but split off. Many of the people you had seen are descent from the same people of this land. The Kokiri children do not exist in that world, though."**

Link stepped back in surprise. "Wait… You're saying… It's an alternate universe?!"

Saria gasped out, as well. "N-no way…"

"**Ah, but it is true… the world runs parallel to us, but time flows differently. One season there is equal to one whole year here, hence why five years gone in that world made twelve years pass here."**

Sheila looked to the ground. "Wow… This is so confusing…"

"**Ooohhh… Sheila…"** he began, turning to her, **"you play another part in this tale… You are indeed a Kokiri child, born into the woods by the spirits. You are a special case, though, and were destined to become a lost Kokiri, and help the hero quench the evil powers of the world. It was your destiny to bear the Kokiri Pendant, forged down from the Kokiri Emerald, which was handed back down to us from the Royal Family."**

"**Your curse is an unusual thing, but it is easily mended. There are three gems, shaped like pearls, bearing the powers of the Goddesses. These are cursed items, but when brought together, they then can eliminate curses. Link already had one, granted to him by the Fire Spirit, but there are two more that are necessary."**

Link raised an eyebrow and quickly removed the sphere-shaped ruby given to him by Valoo. He raised it up. "You mean… this?! Valoo never told me what it was for; just that I may need it… Is this what I need it for?"

The Great Deku Tree swayed back and forth, as if nodding. **"Indeed… There is one in the possession of the Water Spirit, and one in possession of the Earth Spirit, to whom you now speak. I bear the second gem; Farore's Emerald. There is a task I have for Saria first, though, that must be carried out."**

Saria stepped forward, bewildered. "M-me…?"

He shook again, as if nodding. **"Yes… Saria, Link requires the powers of the sages to defeat Gannondorf. To prove your strength as a sage, you, Link, and Sheila must go to the Forest Temple and retrieve a medallion. Fiends have defiled the sacred temple, though, so it is your duty as sage to defeat them, with the help of your friends, of course."**

Saria bowed, graciously. "Yes, sir… I understand."

"What about the rest, though?" Link asked. "I see that this is our next task… But surely there is more you can tell me?"

"**You shall learn,"** the Great Deku Tree said, **"but complete this task first. Retrieve for me the sacred Medallion, and I shall teach you all I know. I think you will learn much more in the temple than simply Saria learning how to fulfill her duties as a sage… There are yet things unchecked remaining there that you should seek."**

Link nodded. "Very well, then… Leave it to us."

"Yes," Saria added, "I'm sure we can handle it… I KNOW we can!"

Nala, Fado, and the older girl stepped aside and allowed Link, Saria, and Sheila to pass by. They began to go, but Sheila wasn't so sure. "Um… Aren't we forgetting something…?" she asked, looking directly at Link.

Link frowned, suddenly getting the picture. Saria looked to him. "What's wrong?"

He sighed. "The problem… is that we have no idea how to get back. I don't know about you, Saria, but I was concentrating on Nala's directions, not on where we actually went. I have no idea how to get back."

Saria looked down. "I see…"

"**You shall have help,"** the Great Deku Tree said. **"I said that it is a task for you three, but I never said you would go alone. I shall send my guide along with you."**

Link blinked, startled. He didn't seem to notice the pink-haired girl getting a little uneasy about this situation. Instead, he took a few steps towards the guardian tree, again. "R-really… who are you sending?"

"**Mmmrrr… The eldest, and wisest, of all my assistants… She will lead you on the right path. She will guide you through and through, like she had done before."**

The hero's eyes opened wide. "Like… before…?"

The elderly tree didn't seem to notice his question. **"Mmmrrr… Come hither, Navi…"**

Saria gasped out. "N-navi… But that's!"

Link stared blankly in stunned silence. "Navi… impossible!"

Sheila was startled by this. "Who is Navi?!"

Link looked over to the three girls standing there. Fado and Nala he already knew. Fado was the girl he saw before; he remembered her when he was still living in the forest, but always thought she was a Kokiri just like him. Nala, on the other hand, was Saria's guardian fairy, though he never seemed to remember her name, hence why he wasn't surprised when she first revealed her name. His surprise only came when Saria finally heard her name and revealed that Nala was her fairy.

Navi, though… Navi was something else. She was a really good friend, and after everything was said and done, she just left. Where did she go…? Apparently back here. Was she really right there in the forest the whole time?! With the realization that fairies can take human forms, she really could've been...

Another thing bugging his mind was the third girl, the third fairy. Who was SHE? She was even now staring awkwardly at him. Did she think that he thought she was Navi?

The Great Deku Tree suddenly turned his head toward the trio of fairies. **"Navi, why do you not answer me? You must accompany Link and his friends."**

All eyes suddenly turned to the pink-haired girl. Including Link's. Navi looked at him awkwardly, and then finally stepped out, bowing. "Y-yes, sir… I'm… sorry…"

Link's mouth dropped open. "Navi…?"

Navi turned to face him. "Link, I'm sorry… for not telling you sooner… I couldn't bear to show myself, so I hid myself. I'm sorry…"

Link blinked. He was angry with her, yes… but at the same time, she looked beautiful. Now he felt horribly awkward and turned away. "I… need to get used to this whole thing, first…" he mumbled off.

This turned into one unusual event.

* * *

_**Author's Note(s)**_: Quite a bit shorter this time. I didn't really know what else to put in this chapter. Anyway, yes, to those who guessed Navi... not that I didn't think anyone would... If you didn't guess Navi, then I guess you're wrong.

Hmm... Any-way, I'm a little unsure about how that turned out, but it's not too bad. Why is it that everything ends up being a lot different from my original ideas, though? Hmm... Whatever. This is pretty good, and it starts to expand the plot a little more, but they really didn't talk very long to the Great Deku Tree. It'll come later, but now we've got a couple new explanations--one, Sheila's past has been revealed. Two, Link finally has learned the truth about Termina. Now what of the Sorceress, though, and all those other questions...? Oh, they'll be answered soon. Just you wait. The next couple chapters will reveal quite a bit of details not only of this story, but of the entire trilogy itself.

Oh, and in other news... If you read up on the last chapter, you should notice a link I had posted to my GF's deviantART Account. Well, she just added a few more artworks related to my characters. These include chibi versions of Relm and Sheila, but also one of Saria. Also, she has done a drawing of Navi like the other character artworks, as Navi is the sixth main character referenced before. This picture has been put on hold until I finished this chapter, though, but she'll probably upload it tomorrow, so you can take a look if you want and see what Navi's human form looks like (she designed it all herself, and I simply reflected upon that in the story).


	28. Secret in the Grove

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 28: Secret in the Grove**_

Sheila knew something was oddly strange about this whole ordeal. The surprise that she was actually a Kokiri was the most startling revelation, of course, and she still didn't even really know what a 'Kokiri' was. All she knew was that all these children running around, as well as Saria, were all Kokiri, too.

However… she did have some links. It seemed that all the Kokiri were children about the age of ten, with a few exceptions; some were a little younger, such as Tracy, who was only about six. The thing that she still didn't quite understand was Saria, but according to what she had heard, Saria's leaving the forest caused her to be older.

'_Well, it seems I've got part of it down, now…'_ Sheila reasoned. _'I still don't know the purpose of why the Kokiri exist, but they all apparently never age past ten unless they leave the forest. Does this mean that Kokiri younger than ten could still go back after leaving for a while, or what…?'_

She really didn't know the answer to that one. Something very obvious to her, though, was the fact that she no longer qualified. And by only two years, no less! She had no idea until now exactly how old she was, but Fado had explained previously that she was "born" twelve years ago.

On the other hand, where does this place Saria …? Saria was already full-grown when Link remembered her, and that was twenty-one years ago, based on what she'd learned. How old was she really?! Could one even tell?! She looked just like a regular, teenage girl, and Sheila guessed that she was about three years older than herself, physically, of course. She was also quite tall, but still a good head shorter than Link was.

Whatever the case, that was only the first thing on her mind. The Kokiri was one issue she still wasn't quite sure about, but it seemed to be coming together. The real question here revolves around this "Navi" girl, though. Ever since the four of them left, Link stayed very distant from her. Saria distanced herself from Navi, as well, but Sheila new this was because Saria was simply trying to stick with Link.

Of course, Navi led them back out from the Kokiri Forest, and towards this place called the "Sacred Grove." Sheila, on the other hand, found herself next, as Link had slowed down until she was already passing him, and he didn't speed up again until they were quite a ways ahead. And Saria went with him.

As for Navi… she seemed very distressed, undoubtedly due to how Link had been treating her. Sheila knew that there was a story here, but she didn't think anyone would listen to her, anyway, so she just kept quiet. All this drama still bothered her greatly, though, despite her best attempts to push it away.

Finally, Sheila decided to try and figure out what was going on. She sped up a bit to catch up with Navi. "Hey, you know Link, right?" Sheila asked.

Navi glanced over, startled by the sudden intrusion. "Um… Yes. Why do you ask?"

Sheila turned forward, again, still walking at a fair pace. "I need to know what's going on… You people seem to have a history together and I've only met Link recently. Before now, it didn't seem like everyone knew each other all that well. We have a couple other friends who are waiting at a small village by the edge of the forest, but I've noticed much different reactions from Link and Saria to quite a few of the children I saw back at that village, and also you. Plus, Link seems to have been avoiding you for these past few hours."

Navi crossed her arms, closed her eyes, and stopped. Sheila stopped as well and turned to her, while Link and Saria stopped and watched to see what was going on. The fairy sighed. "Did you notice all those small fairies floating around the children at the forest? All fairies, and I am one of them, normally appear that way, but they can also appear as a human size. This wasn't really used often before, though, until the last five years, and even then, it was only for the elders. One exception was Fado, but no one knew that she was actually a fairy until recently."

Sheila nodded. "Why, yes, I did… What are they f—"

"Every Kokiri child is given a guardian fairy upon their 'birth.' Fado was actually sent to find you, but you had already been taken from the woods before she could. However, Link was not one of those."

Sheila raised an eyebrow. "Wait, Link's a Kokiri—"

Navi opened her eyes, again, and turned to Sheila, shaking her head. "No, Link's not a Kokiri. That's why he never received a fairy; he was brought to the woods by his mother during a great war. His father was a great hero, but was slain by the evil king, Gannondorf. His mother was severely wounded, but she was able to take him to the Great Deku Tree before she died, and the Great Deku Tree entrusted him to Saria. Saria, on the other hand, had thought that Link was just another Kokiri."

She paused briefly, but then continued. "Later, Link and Saria were still friends, but Link was teased by the other Kokiri because he never had a fairy. All this time I stayed with the Great Deku Tree, for I knew I would have a great task later on. I did not know what that entailed, though, until I was sent to find Link and help him on his journey. I can't really explain the rest, but after we were done with all this, my mission was complete and so I had to leave. It wasn't my choice, though; I wasn't allowed to stay."

"The next bit gets more complicated," she continued, "Link returned to the forest for a while, staying about another year. I myself had returned to help the Great Deku Tree, but I knew I couldn't stay around the forest with Link there, so that's when I started appearing in my human form. Link assumed I was just another Kokiri and never really paid attention before. He stayed another year, but he was aging and he knew he couldn't stay. Finally, he traveled deeper into the forest… to try and find me."

Sheila stared blankly. "So… the reason he left Hyrule in the first place was _because_ of you?"

Navi nodded back. "Yes… I don't know what happened after that point. Link never returned, though… until now, as you can recall. He had been away all that time, searching for me, but I had been there all along, I just couldn't show my face to him. He wasn't _supposed_ to return to the forest! At least not yet…"

Link stepped forward, narrowing his eyes. "So you're saying that—"

Navi closed her eyes and sighed. "What I'm saying is that I was only doing what I was told to do. I was sent to help you, Link, and then, when my work was done, I had to leave. I did not understand why I could not reveal myself to you when you returned to the forest later, but I did was I was told to. Apparently, this moment was fated all along, even though I didn't realize it then."

Link turned away, and then walked back along the path a short ways, moving alongside a tree. He slammed his fist into it, cursing. "Damnit, and here we are again! 'Fate this,' 'fate that'! All my life I've been told by _someone_ that it was fate, it was destiny, that these things were to occur…"

A hand touched his shoulder, gently. "L-link…?" Saria asked.

Link glanced over his shoulder. He sighed and finally turned around, lowering his head. "Yes…?"

Saria ran up to him and hugged him. "Link, I know you're stronger than this… you can pull through… You've already done so in the past, and I know you will again."

Link closed his eyes, smiling. "Saria… Thank you…"

He backed away and then turned toward Navi. Navi stepped forward a few paces, her head down. Link walked up to her. "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have been so arrogant. Can you forgive me, Navi? Can we travel together again like we did before?"

Navi sighed. "Well, I'm not so sure about that… that would be up to the Great Deku Tree. Yes, though, I do forgive you… And would you forgive me, too? I should've said something, or at least explained why I had to go."

Link nodded. "Very well… I don't see why it is necessary, but yes, that is fine. I forgive you, too."

"Okay, okay, off with all this mushy stuff!" Sheila called out, approaching them. "Don't we have a temple to visit? Where is this place, anyway?"

Everyone laughed. Navi walked forward towards Sheila a bit more, but looked down the path further. "The temple is in the depths of the Sacred Grove. Actually, Saria knows it best. Link and I did travel into the temple at one point, but Saria is the Sage of the Forest, and she used to visit that grove all the time. Come, we have wasted enough time; I'll take you the rest of the way to the temple, and then Saria can lead us through its depths."

Navi ran off ahead, but Link followed quickly behind with Saria behind him. Sheila stood and watched a bit longer, but finally raced off after them, still wondering what had just taken place.

**_XXXXX_**

Saria, Link, Sheila, and Navi made their way through the forest, finally arriving at the Sacred Forest Meadow, now just an empty grove in the depths of the Lost Woods. They made their way through the grove until at last they climbed the stairs leading to a smaller region at the far end of the grove, at the foot of the mountain.

Sheila looked up at the mountainside ahead with small trees branching out a various points. It appeared that they were at the foot of Death Mountain. A broken stone staircase led up to an entrance in the side, overgrown with plants. "This is the Forest Temple?" she asked, turning to Saria.

Saria turned back to face the white-haired girl. "Yes. It was built long ago as a shrine in the forest, but erosion from Death Mountain has slowly covered most of the shrine over time. The interior is fully intact, while this is all that's left of the exterior."

Sheila nodded. "I see…"

Navi nodded. "Well, we have arrived… Any ideas on how to get inside?"

Link shrugged. He swiped out his grapple shot and launched it just above the tree branch hanging in front of the cliff. The metal claw swung around and latched firmly into place. "Anyone want to go first?" he asked.

"Um…" Sheila began," is that actually safe? That branch doesn't look very sturdy…"

Saria nodded. "I'd have to agree with Sheila. I don't think that branch will hold any of us, let alone you."

Link narrowed his eyes. "Hmph! I'll show you!"

He turned back and clasped down on the hand, which is what pulled the end of the claw back, in turn pulling him toward whatever object it was attached to. That is, when it was a secure object. The branch snapped off and came flying straight towards Link, smacking him in the face.

He released the grip on the handle and pushed it away, spitting out a couple pieces of bark. "Okay, I stand corrected."

Navi giggled a bit. "Link, it may have worked last time, but that branch was a _lot_ stronger last time, too. And thicker. Surely that tree is dead by now."

Link narrowed his eyes. "But… how could this place die down? It lives on by—"

Saria stepped forward onto the Triforce symbol that was now only a marking in the dirt. "by the power of the Sage," she concluded.

The symbol lit up brightly, shining out around them. Link and Sheila were blinding. Navi was unaffected. Saria pulled out a small trinket from her pocket and raised it up to her lips. A soothing melody flowed throughout the forest. Trees grew in seconds, flowers sprouted up out from the ground, grass filled the ground, moss covered the sides of the hills and of the mountain… Vines grew in an upward path from the Triforce symbol to the remains of the temple stairs, creating a path leading up into it.

The light subsided and Sheila glanced around in wonder. "Woah… Wow! That was… amazing!"

Saria put her ocarina away again, but did not move. She stared into the ground, sobbing slightly. "I've been gone so long… I've allowed this place to wither away…"

She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Don't feel that way, Saria. Everything is fine. Come, we should head into the temple.

She nodded. "Yes, let's… Where do we go, though?"

Navi stepped towards them. "I'd say the archives, in the basement. There is a magic-powered elevation system that will take us there."

Link laughed. "Oh, you mean like an 'elevator?' That's what I'd call it. It sounds about right."

Navi rolled her eyes. "Whatever name you want to give it, I suppose. Let's just go. We have no time to waste. The Great Deku Tree is waiting for us."

**Author's Note(s)**: Meh, yes, I know. I haven't posted anything for nearly two months (no, I don't recall exactly the last time I submitted a chapter; I saw that the life of the latest chapter is down to 11 days, when it started as 60). I've had some more Writer's Block. Recently, though, I got back into writing SoD and now I'm on Chapter 31. The next couple chapters will have plenty more revelations for you, but not just for Scepter of Darkness... Oh, and from now on, in order to be sure that I don't make mistakes I did before, I will be submitting ONE chapter EVERY weekend. This should allow me to get ahead.

What else have I been working on? Mostly personal stuff, and I've been job searching again recently. I've also started writing something else more with my GF; a collab we're planning. It's not Zelda-related at all, though, unfortunately for you. Zelda-wise? I don't have access to RPG Maker XP anymore, but within the past couple days I found a cool system in GIMP that I've been using to grab perfect 32x32 segments and snap them into that exact position, so I've been working on the new World Map for Dark Horizons. ^_^


	29. Temple Depths

_**Author's Note(s)**_: Figured I'd add this. Election Night, so I'm up late tonight. And I should've added this chapter earlier. I'm a little hesitant to, though, but meh, people are probably guessing some of this stuff anyway. Oh, and the first half of this has major revelations for the ENTIRE (planned) trilogy.

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

**Chapter 29: Temple Depths**

Sheila shivered. She didn't like this place. Drops of water leaked from the ceiling. The entire place smelled musty and rotten. Dead or dying vines crawled up along the walls. Despite these things, though, the four of them pressed onward through the depths. It was pretty quick reaching the central chamber of the temple, and of course, all but Sheila knew how to reach the lower levels.

The four stepped into the platform in the middle of the room which Link referred to as an 'elevator,' and they rode down to the bottom. From here, they just followed the red carpet straight back to the archives; the very inner sanctum of the entire temple.

Navi stepped forward and put her hands together. They began to glow pink, casting a light across the room. There was a pedestal at the end of the room, and Saria quickly raced up to it. A small green medallion lay there. "This must be it…"

Link nodded. "Yes, that looks like the Forest Medallion. Should I carry it?"

Saria handed to him. "Very well, then. You'll probably end up with it, anyway."

"Hey, what's this?!" Sheila called out from the side of the room.

Saria and Link turned to where the white-haired girl stood. Navi's light revealed some tapestries on the wall. She lifted her hands up to them and Link studied them closely. "It's an ancient manuscript of sorts," he proclaimed. "I don't know what it says, though… I can't read it."

He turned back to Navi. "Can you make this out?" Link asked.

Navi shrugged her shoulders. "I… I don't know."

She stepped forward, raising her hands up alongside the wall like a torch. "Um… Let's see, uh… I…"

Sheila sighed. "Let me guess… You can't read it, either?"

Navi lowered her head. "Uh… Well, of course I can, uh…"

Saria walked passed Navi, looking at the text on the wall. Suddenly, she gasped out. "What the…?"

All eyes turned to her. Link was especially curious. "Saria… YOU can read it?!"

She turned to Link and her cheeks burned deep red… "Um… I came up and glanced at this, and I'm wondering why no one else can… It's in plain English!"

Link blinked. "But… That's not possible!" He quickly turned back to it, but only saw a bunch of squiggly, meaningless lines. "Its… its gobbledygook! I can't make heads or tails out of it!"

Sheila ran up and pushed Link out of the way, looking up towards the manuscript. She raised a finger to her chin. "Mmm… Well, I'd have to agree with Link… There's no possible way this is English. It's just a bunch of lines twirling in different ways. I can't see how you can make anything out of it."

Saria stepped forward and stood next to her, staring her in the eyes. "I assure you that I can read this. It must have to do with specifically me, because none of you, not even Navi, was able to read it. Clearly, I am the only one that is able to. Now please, stand back."

Sheila moped a bit, but finally agreed. She backed up a few paces and stopped, but still eyed Saria carefully.

The green-haired girl closed her eyes briefly, but then opened them again and looked at the writings hanging from the wall. Slowly, and softly, she began to read.

"_Throughout time, we, the great sages of this world, have fulfilled the will of the Goddesses and protected the sacred triangle…_

_Appointed by the messenger, the holy flame, we guarded the relics entrusted to us, and the holy flame that now rests within the Earth, bringing life and prosperity to all that lives._

_We seven of the elements of time, space, and matter, protect the regions of the world, and entrust our power to the chosen ones, who shall inherit our power._

_We spirits created by the messenger, we are the will of the sages. Our power awakens the seven chosen, and the seven chosen hold the keys that open the door of the Sacred Realm._

_O' sage of light, guardian of the golden hall, protector of the Sacred Realm, lead the sages and guide them to the right path. Become the final barrier between light and dark._

_O' sage of time, guardian of the door, protect thine halls and direct the chosen hero to his destiny._

_O' sage of spirits, guardian of the living, take thy people and watch over the sands of the earth, barring passage to the life-force of the world._

_O' sage of shadows, guardian of the dead, lead the lost ones to the promised land._

_O' sage of waters, guardian of the sea, guide the flow of the rivers and the storms and rains and bring the life-giving drink to the earth and to its people._

_O' sage of flames, guardian of the fires, power the light of the sun and bring warmth to the world._

_And O' sage of forests, guardian of all green, grow with the earth and prosper, plant the seeds of life and joy._

_Ye seven sages, ye who read these tapestries, know that more is to be said. The holy flame lay resting until the dark power came to take it. Only by the power of the sages, and by the power of the hero, was the darkness defeated._

_Beware of the power in the east…_

_Beware of the evil that lies within…_

_Beware of the scepter of darkness…"_

Saria stepped back, looking to the ground. Her face was pale.

"Saria…?" Link asked.

_The scepter of darkness…_

_It is your destiny…_

_I have to get out of here…_

…_your destiny…_

…_have to escape…_

…_destiny…_

"_SARIA!"_

Link raced forward, quickly catching Saria in his arms. "Saria… Are you alright?!"

Saria stared blankly a few seconds, unmoving, unwavering, unbreathing… At last, she inhaled deeply. Tears poured from her eyes. She buried her head in Link's chest. "What… What have I done?!"

Navi just stood there, staring at the text, eyes fixed on the last line. She pictured what it looked like in her mind should she be the one standing there, reading the text. "The scepter of darkness…" she turned down to Link. "Its power has been unleashed, hasn't it?"

Link nodded. "Y-yes…" he muttered softly.

"Scepter… of darkness?" Sheila asked.

Navi closed her eyes. "I fear… there isn't much time left for the world…" her eyelids opened, again, but only slightly. She narrowed them, staring straight ahead. "We have to stop it… NOW!"

_**XXXXX**_

Relm leaned back and looked up into the sky above, out into the distant horizon. The sun had set hours ago, but she was unable to sleep. It was especially disappointing to learn that only Link, Saria, and Sheila were allowed entrance into the forest. She did not know why Sheila was allowed to go and not her, but she didn't like it.

Regardless, she wasn't the only one left out, and she felt foolish enough to even think about that. Without Saria or Sheila around, Zelda had been wandering free from that troublesome mask. These people of Ordon knew nothing of Hyrule, so they never realized that they had a princess in their midst… well, two, even, but Relm herself never knew either until two days prior. They also never realized that only Link and herself had known what 'Sheik' looked like without her mask on.

Relm tried to tell herself that she was in this for the adventure. The real truth, though, was that she was angry with her mother for keeping this secret all this time. She always thought she was an orphan, found and raised by the Sheikah tribe. However, as it turns out, now, that was a lie all along. What reason, then, was there for such a secret to be kept?

She sighed. It was nigh impossible to determine what their motives were. The deed was done, and now she had no choice but to accept that. One thing that was probably for the better was that she was now very skilled in stealth and secrecy; swift as a ninja. Had she been raised in a castle as a princess, she most likely would have been a spoiled brat… but she wasn't. Now she was strong; determined. She even knew a little magic.

The red-haired girl glanced around at the trees and the houses of the small village. A bird flapped its wings, flying from tree to tree. It flew toward her, and she reached out her hand, raising her index finger, so it could land.

Except that it did not.

All of a sudden, it just stopped. It hung there, lifeless, from a seemingly never ending void; wings outstretched, talons held out so it could land. The wind came to a complete halt. Not a sound was to be heard. A leaf from the trees above hovered in the air, falling to the ground below. Relm gasped. "What in the world? It's not possible!"

In her surprise, she slipped and fell off the tree branch she had been sitting on. Luckily, she was able to swing her hand back up and catch onto it once more. The bracers she wore protected her skin and her bones within her hands; though her fingertips hurt a little, being the only parts unprotected.

Seeing a branch below her, she dropped down and balanced herself onto it. Like the bird, and the leaf, and the wind, the branch stood perfectly still. She tried to shake it, but it didn't budge an inch. She was light, yes, and of course the branch was able to hold her, but it didn't even move. She should've at least been able to shake it even a little, but she could not.

She quickly jumped down, branch-by-branch, landing onto the ground below, her hair flowing out behind her and settling along her back. Zelda ran up to her. "Relm, something strange is going on around here! The water from the fountain suddenly stopped flowing, and—"

"Did you see a flying bird stop in the middle of the air?" Relm remarked.

Zelda gasped. "Uh… no…"

Relm darted passed, glancing back briefly. "Then you've seen nothing. Come, let's go check it out."

Zelda nodded. She followed Relm closely, heading toward the forest entrance around the winding paths. Once they passed the final house of the village and near the forest entrance, they stopped. A man was standing there.

He bore a wide grin… scarily-wide, that is. He held a large sack around his back; all kinds of different masks hanging down from it. One in particular lay right at the top. Relm and Zelda could not make it out exactly, but it appeared to be purple and heart-shaped, with a series of golden spikes all the way around. Man others were very creepy and eerie, while yet others were peaceful, and calm.

The man stepped forward, holding out a hand in greeting. "Heeheehee… Hello, young ones… I have been traveling far and wide… I know who you are, and you know whom I seek. Could you assist me?"

Zelda raised an eyebrow. "You know who I—"

"Yes, I know you, Princesses of Hyrule," he remarked. Relm gave him a strange look, and he turned to her. "Ah, yes, yes, the 'lost' princess. You were taken in by the queen's mentor, friend, and former nanny, in order to protect you from… Well, I shan't get into details now, but it'll be made clear to you soon. Whatever the case, you were set apart purposely for a reason. If you were kept together, you wouldn't be alive today."

Relm stared blankly for a few seconds, mouth agape. She finally closed it and turned away, closing her eyes, as well. She walked a little ways and stopped, grunting.

The man laughed, switching his gaze over to Zelda. "Heeheehee… Angry, isn't she? Angry at her parents? Angry at me? Perhaps even angry at you?"

Zelda shot a glare towards him. She raised her fist up. "You better—"

"What? What are you going to do to me, little girl? Hmm?"

She stopped. "I—"

His grin widened, if that was possible. "Hmmhmmhmm… You act tough, but you're still just a little stuck-up brat. You can't really fight. You barely know how to wield your own weapons. You couldn't possibly protect anyone."

Zelda gasped. "But—"

"Hehehe… Run all you want, but it won't get you anywhere. Now, on to business, hm…? Would you be so kind as to tell me where he has gone? Of course you know who I am referring to."

"Why should we tell you?" Relm demanded, glaring back at him.

He narrowed his eyes, laughing again. "Ooh… temper, temper… Heeheehee… The truth is that I need to talk with him. You may not know me, but he knows me well. Oh sooooo well… heeheehee…"

"We wouldn't tell you even if we DID know where he is!" Zelda cried out.

"Hehehe… Oh, I know where he is… I know everything, remember? Now I see that you are trustworthy. The Hero of Time has many enemies, yes indeed… It would be wise if he watched his back…"

"A test?" Relm asked. "We don't even KNOW you!"

"Of course you don't…" the man replied, "but you shall… soon enough, you'll get to know me better…"

"You're just crazy," Zelda added. "You suddenly just barge in here, making accusations, and suddenly—"

She couldn't finish her statement, though. Out of nowhere, the wind began to pick up again. The mystery man had also vanished, gone… but his voice carried on in the air. "Heeheehee… He does not yet realize that one closest to him… is one that he desperately seeks… One to cast this world into shadow…"

The voice carried on into the wind, fading and disappearing. The two girls looked to each other, stunned.

Zelda leaned up against a nearby tree, groaning. "This is all too confusing… One minute, time has stopped before our very eyes and we see a crazy man, but then he's gone in a flash… What WAS that…? And what did he mean by 'one'?"

Relm closed her eyes, sighing. "I think he's talking about the Sorceress." She crossed her arms and opened her eyes, again. "One of us five is clearly either the Sorceress, or is being directly manipulated by her."

Zelda gasped out. "But… that's… that's impossible! One… one of us… is a traitor?!"

"Apparently so," Relm replied. Suddenly, her thoughts drifted. An image appeared in her head. The answer came. She sneered, narrowing her eyes tightly. _'And I think I know who…'_


	30. Seeking Comfort

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 30: Seeking Comfort**_

Saria closed her eyes and knelt down before the Great Deku Tree, whom stood tall and proud above them. "My liege, I have brought the medallion back from the temple," she called out.

The Great Deku Tree moaned out loudly. **"Welcome, again, Saria, and Link, and Sheila, and Navi. Thy task is done. Return the medallion to Link, young one, for it is the burden of the hero that he shall bear its power."**

The young sage nodded, and stood up. She turned to Link and he walked over to her. She stepped forward a bit. "Link, I believe you have seen this before. My power as the sage is contained within this medallion," as she spoke she handed it to him, and his cusped it tightly. "Take it."

"**Now, receive that which I have promised thee."** The great tree shook wildly. An object fell from its branches and floated down in front of the four travelers.

"**Link… Take this jewel, as well,"** he proclaimed.

Link stepped forward, looking into the depths of the deep green spherical object. He clasped his hand around it and slid it into his pocket. Afterwards, he turned back up to the Great Deku Tree, nodding his head. "Thank you."

"**Soon, it is time to go… Into the depths of the desert, Gannondorf has made his layer. However, the power of the three Oracles is needed to break the barrier. Two of the three Oracles have already awakened, though neither you nor they know it yet. However, the final cannot waken until her curse is destroyed. Link, you have already looked into the eyes of the oracles."**

Suddenly, the world spun around him. Link looked up and saw the essences of Nayru, and of Din. Each of the essences was connected to the oracle she resided within. That's when it all clicked together.

The world was back to normal. Link was on his knees, and Saria ran up to him. "Link, are you okay?!"

Link nodded. "I'm fine."

Now everything made sense. That was the vision he saw when he looked into Zelda's eyes that one time back in Hyrule Castle, when he left to save Saria, and in Relm's eyes, on the trip back to Hyrule Castle. They were two of the oracles… but who was the third?

"_You have already looked into the eyes of the oracles."_

He nodded his head. _'That is what the Great Deku Tree said… I have already seen the three oracles, but only two of them have awakened. They must have awakened when I saw those visions. The third simply hasn't yet awakened…'_

"…_the final cannot waken until her curse is destroyed."_

The green-clad hero immediately jumped to his feet and shifted his gaze. Sheila was startled by the sudden reaction. "L-link…?" she asked. "What is it…?"

Link closed his eyes, smiling. He turned back to the Great Deku Tree. "Thank you. Now I know why she must go with us, and why we must break the curse. Now the only thing we need to know is how."

"What?!" Sheila cried out. "This… This is crazy! All this stuff is flying at me all at once… Now you're saying…?"

"**The only one who has yet to meet the three oracles within your party is Navi. She has only met one. Navi is the Guardian of the Woods. Saria is the Sage of Forests. Link is the Hero of Time. You, Sheila, are the Oracle of Farore. You carry the essence of Farore, the holy Goddess, within you. Like the sages, the Oracles are chosen. Sometimes the Goddesses even appear as themselves. In other cases, they reside within host bodies until the host is Awakened. Your curse has prevented you from awakening."**

Shiela lowered her head. She hadn't forgotten the tail that she couldn't seem to get rid of, and the fact that she still didn't have normal feet or ears, either. None of the Kokiri remarked about that, though, because she kept all but her ears hidden and her ears clearly must not have been noticeable. But she knew they were still there.

The white-haired girl suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. "Listen, Sheila…"

Her gazed turned back and she saw Navi standing there. Sheila sighed. "Yeah, yeah, whatever…"

Navi shook her head. "No, listen to me… I have known many things… but this here startled even I. I knew about your party, but this whole thing with the Oracles, with my own 'destiny,' and the tapestries in the Forest Temple… It's all so confusing… And I fear I won't be able to see any more of it."

Link lowered his head, sighing. "I guess we have to go, now. It's almost morning, already, and I'm sure we're all tired. We should find a place that can accommodate us all and rest a few hours before continuing on."

Saria shook her head. "Yes, but… where are we supposed to go next?! There's one more of those pearls, or whatever they are, but we have know idea where to look!"

Branches twisted and the ground quaked. **"Ahhhhh… Young sage, all is not lost… the power of Nayru lies at the great heights of the rivers of Hyrule, far to the north… that is where the secret can be sought…"**

"Zora's Domain…" Link muttered. "As I suspected. It's the only place left we have to go to."

He began to head to the exit from the grove. "Come on, Saria, Sheila… We should go…"

The two began to walk toward Link, while Navi just stood and watched them go. The hero sighed. "I'm sorry, Navi… I wish that you could come with us, but your place is here."

She nodded. "I know… I understand."

Link, Saria, and Sheila walked back through the path leading to the Kokiri Forest. The fairy just watched until they were out of sight.

"**Navi…"**

She blinked, but then turned her eyes to the Great Deku Tree. "Yes?"

"**Navi, why are you still here? You must accompany Link on his quest. It is part of your destiny that you must help Link once more. Do you not understand?"**

She cried out. "R-really?!"

The Great Deku Tree stared her down. **"Go."**

Link, Saria, and Sheila said goodbye to their Kokiri friends, whom they had only briefly known. They continued back out from the forest, but three of the children blocked the path. It wasn't the three that blocked them out from before, though.

"Where has Navi gone?" Fado requested.

Saria shook her head. "She stayed behind…" she answered. "And Mido, what are you doing here?"

Mido crossed his arms. He was standing at the center, between Fado and Nala. "I came… to apologize. I'm sorry for my actions from before."

"He truly is," Nala added. "In fact… the reason for his actions before wasn't of hatred. He was angry that you left, Saria. That is why. He doesn't hate you… and Link," she turned to him, next, "his actions against you were of jealousy, because of how both the Great Deku Tree and Saria have favored you over him."

"Really?" Sheila asked.

Mido nodded. "I… I'm sorry…"

"Apology accepted," Link replied.

Saria smiled. "Same here. It really was nice seeing you, again."

Mido sighed. "Yeah…"

"Well," Link replied, "I think we should get going, now. Can we go through, now?"

Fado closed her eyes, shaking her head. "There are only three of you."

Saria raised an eyebrow. "Huh? But of course there's only th—"

"WAIT!" a voice called out from behind.

The three of them turned around and saw Navi come running after them. She stopped a few feet in front of Link, and Link was surprised to see her standing there. "Navi?! But, I thought…"

"She is to go with you," Nala added. "Like you remember before, Link, Navi will help to guide you, but she can also help with her powers of healing."

Sheila groaned. "Okay, now we have SIX people… How many more want to come along?"

Link smiled. "I'm glad you could come with us, Navi."

She laughed. "Not as glad as I am."

Fado, Nala, and Mido stepped off to the side, allowing them passage through the entrance.

"Go with the grace of the gods," Nala stated.

"The hope of this world rests in your hands," Fado proclaimed.

"Saria…" Mido began as she passed by. The four of them stopped. He lowered his head and closed his eyes. "I know that it can never be, but know this… I love you…"

Saria lowered her head. "So… That's why you've always been angry with Link? Why you hated him so?"

He nodded.

Saria shook her head. "I'm sorry, Mido, but… it can't be helped… I'm sorry…"

Saria pushed passed the others, and finally, they followed her out of the village. Mido stood there, watching, a tear in his eye. He walked away and disappeared from sight.

_**XXXXX**_

Relm leaned over toward the fountain, sighing. "When are they going to get back?!"

Zelda shrugged her shoulders, splashing her hand through the water a bit. "I don't know… I barely slept at all last night, though… I wonder if the chief is serving breakfast any time soon?"

Relm narrowed her eyes, turning to her sister. "You're thinking about food at a time like this? Shouldn't we be worrying about the sorceress? We still don't know who she is!"

The elder closed her eyes, sighing. "Frankly, I don't know how you can trust that creep. I think he was only trying to trick us so that we would try and turn against our teammates. There's no way I would, though. I trust Link and Saria and Sheila. And I know YOU wouldn't do anything so drastic, either, and of course I know I didn't."

Relm crossed her arms and turned away. "He did say that the Sorceress was working through one of us, whether we knew it or not… it could be any one of us, even me, for all I know… I just want to know who it is and how to stop it."

Zelda pushed herself away from the fountain and shook her head. "I don't care what you say. I'm going back to my room. I don't want to be caught like this when they get back."

"Suit yourself," Relm muttered off.

"Relm! Sheik!" a voice called out.

Relm jumped to her feet, bracing herself. "Well, well, look what the cat dragged in."

Zelda glanced back and saw Link, Saria, Sheila, and some other girl heading towards them. Sheila was ahead, calling out to them, when she suddenly stopped. "Sheik…?"

The princess dashed ahead into the inn and vanished. Saria was stunned. "She wasn't wearing her mask…"

"I still didn't get a good glimpse of her face, though," Sheila proclaimed, "but she did look kinda familiar…"

Navi stepped up next to Link, whispering into his ear. "Is that Princess Zelda?" she asked, quiet enough that nobody else heard.

He nodded. "You are correct, but she doesn't want anyone else to know."

Navi nodded her head. "Very well, then."

Zelda came out of the building again a short while later, her head covered with her mask once more. She stepped out; eyes staring at the ground, her face flush.

"Anything you want to tell us?" Saria asked her.

Zelda shook her head. "Um… No…"

Sheila groaned. "That's not helping your case any… I saw you, as did the rest of us!"

Zelda sighed. "I can't tell you, alright? Maybe later, but not now. Sorry."

Suddenly, her eyes lit up. "Wait… Who's THAT?"

Navi stepped forward. "I'm sorry… I'm Navi. Link will explain everything on the way, but we have to leave now. Our next destination is Zora's Domain, and it's a long ride. We should hurry."

Zelda rejoined the rest of the group, and Relm came up to her, as well. "Zora's Domain? Aren't you guys tired? That's a long ride for a bunch of people that haven't had any sleep."

Link nodded back. "We'll stop in Kakariko Village on our way back north again. We'll rest a few hours, but then we have to keep going."

Zelda crossed her arms, nodding her head. "That sounds reasonable, I guess…"

"So who is riding with me?" Relm asked. "Now we have six people; that's two per horse. Maybe Sheila can take Navi with her."

Navi shrugged her shoulders. "Well… I don't really—"

"Do it," Relm demanded.

She sighed. "Very well, then. Is that how you rode before?"

Link shook his head. "No. Saria's always been with me, but last time Relm took Sheila and Z—er, Sheik, was on her own."

The fairy almost burst out laughing, but she kept it to light giggles. "Hehe… Sheik… haha…"

Zelda placed her hands on her hips. "Is there something wrong?"

Navi shook her head. "Mmm… no… It's fine… hehe…"

Link went and found Epona and mounted on her back, gripping the reins tightly. Saria climbed up behind him and pulled herself close to Link. Relm and 'Sheik' mounted onto Relm's horse, while Sheila took the reins of the third horse and Navi climbed up behind, despite the fact that she could've just reverted to her fairy form, but Link realized that she apparently did not wish to take her fairy form any more, likely due to how long she remained in her human form.

Whatever the case, the three horses headed towards the gates of Ordon. Link, Saria, Relm, Zelda, and Sheila waved goodbye to their friends as they rode off. Navi only watched, as she didn't know anything about them, anyway.

Luckily, Kakariko Village wasn't too far from the woods. It was only about an hour away. It would take nearly half the day to reach Zora's Domain from Kakariko, though. That was a much more difficult task, of course. This is why Link wanted to rest in Kakariko before they set off, for Relm and Zelda only had a few hours of sleep, while the rest of them had zero.

It was a quick and quiet ride, and at last, the six of them arrived in the boundaries of Kakariko Village. It was early morning, so civilians were only now awakening. The riders just rode on through the small town within the mountainous ravine. Along the northern side of the town a short distance in they saw the inn.

Link rode up in front of the building and dismounted. Saria started to come down after, but he asked her to wait and went in by himself. A few minutes later he came back out and a couple of townsfolk helped with the horses, and Link helped Saria down off of Epona's back. Relm and Sheik dismounted Relm's horse, as well, while Sheila and Navi got off the third horse.

The men guided the horses to a nearby stable and the remaining man, the innkeeper, turned to face the group. "Your friend Link here has paid for three rooms. He'll take one, while the rest of you will have to share the remaining two. You may stay as long as you want, as he has paid for a full night."

"We're only actually staying a few hours," Link remarked. "Most of us are very tired after this long journey and without rest."

The innkeeper nodded. "Very well, then. That should be just fine. Leave when you are ready."

Link, Saria, and Navi headed inside. Navi didn't really need to sleep, but she felt that a little rest would be best. Zelda and Relm wandered off, while Sheila didn't know what to do. She was tired, yes, but something else had her worried. Finally, she chose to head inside.

Link and Saria were already in bed, apparently. Navi was standing in the hall, looking toward Sheila as she walked by. "The third room is over there," she pointed, "if you want to take it yourself. I'm going to stay here a while, but then I'll stay with Saria in that room. I suspect Relm and… er, Sheik… have had enough sleep already."

Sheila nodded. "Yes… I suppose so. I really need some rest, though, so I'll be heading in, now. Thank you, Navi."

The white-haired girl slipped into the third room and collapsed on the bed closest to the window. She quickly drifted off, weary from her long travels.

Sleep turned into dreams. Dreams turned into nightmares. In the dim day, something happened… A blade struck. The darkness faded. A scream bellowed.

* * *

**Author's Note(s)**: Bah, title sucks but it's the only thing I could think of. Mostly filler here, but I did add a few more explanations. The whole 'oracle' situation--which is, yes, a nod to the Oracle games (except that in my theory the 'Oracles' in those games essentially were the Goddesses taking on human form, even though I barely know anything about those titles)--this whole thing WAS planned before-hand. However, what wasn't planned before was to have it come up this early. It was basically an on-the-spot idea "Oh, I'll add that in there to explain more about why they need to be involved, and why they don't just go straight to face Gannondorf!"

As for Kakariko Village, it is referenced at the beginning, but of couse, your characters don't actually go there. Only Relm went to Kakariko, and then she was found by Link and Saria, which you guys know. Whatever the case, I noticed that I hadn't found any plans for Kakariko to be visited, so I put it in as a brief stop on the way to Zora's Domain.

Also, as you can see I've been trying to add a little more balance between the six main characters. Having an imbalance is exactly what I did not want, so I've been concentrating on Sheila a lot more recently, as thus far, plans point out that she had the weakest role of all the main ones. Zelda had that for a while, too, but then I decided to include her with the main group by having her sneak out under the guise of Sheik. This also leaves her open for other plotpoints later on.

Whew, okay, done with all that ranting. Yes, I know it's late. You might as well say I'm updating mid-weekly instead of weekends. XD Annoyingly enough, I've barely gotten any further at this point; I have only completed Chapter 31. Hopefully I'll get up to about 35 pretty quickly, though. Soon things start to heat up more... ^^

In other (related) news, I've been working on more Dark Horizons stuff, which is planned for a game version I'm going to be doing in RPG Maker XP, which will be continued once I have the $60.00 needed to dish out for registration. Instead of worrying about that, I've been working on sprites and scripts. I've been seeking out various sprites online that I'd like to use to give me more leverage, and also MAKE better sprites for the characters, because the old ones -SUCKED-. In the process I've learned to be a better spriter. ^^ Currently, six of the main playable characters I have sprited, and I found lots of cool scripts that should help me out later on. Plus, I've been redoing the world map. Of course, the six playable characters are from the planned demo which I could not get completed, but the only one I haven't done yet is Link. Bah.

Bah, bah, done with all this crap now... Enjoy the chapter. Meh, at this rate my "Author's Note(s)" will start getting to half the length that the chapter was at! :P XD


	31. Ominous Confrontation

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 31: Ominous Confrontation**_

She couldn't scream, couldn't yell… Her assailant stood above her, pressing a hand firmly across her mouth. A knife was stuck up against her throat. The lights were off and the sky outside had apparently darkened. Could it have really been THAT late?! Or was it just clouds overhead?

It didn't matter, anyway. The shades were down. Sheila was unable to see who had attacked her, and nor was she able to question anything. All she knew was that she was going to die.

"Tell me the truth," the obviously female voice proclaimed. "You are the one. I see it in your eyes. Now will you tell me who your true allegiance is with or do I have to cut your throat right now?"

Sheila whimpered and cried. Finally, her attacker removed the hand from Sheila's face. She cried, again. "I don't know what you are talking about! Honestly!"

The other girl closed her eyes and crossed her arms. "Yeah right… I know that ONE of you is behind the Sorceress. You're the only one that fits the bill. Clearly, it is you, Sheila. Why else would've Ingo been so close to her? Where did Ingo get his power? You pretend you don't have anything to do with the Sorceress, but I know the truth!"

She gasped out in surprise. "Wh-what?! That's insane; I have no idea where you came up with that… Who the hell are you to say such things?!"

The girl laughed. "Heh… I don't know anyone else who would openly curse like that, heh… Not even I do such a thing."

Sheila narrowed her eyes. She was starting to adjust to the darkness, and things became clearer. She jumped up in surprise. "R-relm?!"

Relm crossed her arms and turned away. "Hmph… I knew I should've worn a mask… Whatever, it doesn't matter. No one would believe you over me, anyway. Not after what I'm going to tell Link. I didn't say anything before because I didn't want to alert you. It's quite clear to me that you aren't about to admit your own treachery."

Sheila jumped to her feet and ran out in front of Relm. "You're insane! I don't know what you are talking about, but it's crazy… lunacy! How could I be behind the Sorceress? We SAW her there together at the ranch! There's no way I could be in two places at—"

"Mirages," Relm remarked. "Certain spells can create images of one's own self. You could've been behind it without it looking like you were. I know some such spells myself."

Sheila narrowed her eyes. "In that case, it could've been ANYONE! How could you possibly know who it was? And I _certainly_ had nothing to do with it. I don't even know magic at all. I do know some things about chemistry and compounding, but that's completely different."

Relm crossed her arms. "Anyone can say they can't use magic. How do you prove it?"

"How do you prove it is me?"

The red-haired one stumbled back. She narrowed her eyes. _'The girl makes a point… Just because she looks suspicious doesn't mean she's automatically the one… Maybe…'_

"Fine, them," Relm proclaimed at last, "I won't say anything about this little encounter… but you're STILL on my suspect list, and you're STILL number one. Got it?"

Sheila sighed. "Got it."

Relm stepped passed Sheila and opened the door. "Don't say anything, and I won't say anything. This will be our secret."

The door closed, and Sheila stared directly at it, unsure of what to do or say next. _'Man oh man… how did I get myself into this mess?!'_ she asked herself.

That was a question for another day.

_**XXXXX**_

It was mid-day by the time they left. Link, Sheila, and Saria were still exhausted from the long night before, but they felt somewhat better after resting a while. Sheila had kept her promise to Relm and said nothing to anyone about what had happened, but it still made her completely uneasy.

She mounted on the back of Malon's horse they had borrowed. Ironically, she didn't even know its name. The horse was actually white, which she found to be quite ironic as her own hair was snow white.

Navi came up behind Sheila, clenching her knees tightly together and leaning forward so she would not fall. The fairy had noticed Sheila's scared, child-like expression prior, and was curious as to what plagued her mind. However, she never brought it up, not wishing to cause her further harm.

Sheila glanced over and watched Link help Saria onto the back of Epona, and then pulled himself up in front. She directed the horse left a bit so that it would trot closer to them. "Hey, Link," she called out.

Link raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Do you know her name?" she asked.

Link shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know any of Malon's current horses. I do recall her mentioning, though, that she didn't name all of them, and this is one of them."

Sheila lowered her head. "So… she doesn't have a name?"

He shook his head. "Nope."

Navi turned aside a bit, but suddenly, she got an idea. "Hey," she turned back and glanced at Link, then to Sheila, "why don't you name her?" she turned to Link again. "Malon wouldn't mind, would she? I'm sure she would love any name chosen."

Saria giggled a bit. "Heehee… I like that idea. What do you think, Link?"

He nodded. "If you want to name her, Sheila, I guess that's all right. We must get going, though. We've got a long ways to go before we reach Zora's Domain."

Sheila nodded. "Ah… Yes, I suppose you're right…"

Link directed Epona towards Relm and Sheik, while Sheila just stared. Relm did not pay attention to Link as he came by. Instead, her eyes were directed on the white-haired girl. No one else noticed this. Finally, when Link and Saria reached them, her eyes turned back to Link's.

Sheila swung her head around forward and looked down, shutting her eyes in attempts to suppress the tears. Except she failed miserably.

Navi glanced back briefly and noticed Relm's eyes glance their way, before turning back again. She turned forward. "Sheila, is something—"

"Shut up," the reply came.

Navi placed a hand on her shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Sheila cried a bit more, but then just wiped her eyes clean. "I'm… I'm fine. I don't need your pity."

The fairy groaned. She opened her mouth again, but no words came. The sound of hooves beating down on the gravel caught her attention, instead. "Come on you two, let's go!" Link called out as he rode past, followed quickly by Relm.

Sheila and Relm's eyes locked on briefly, for merely a few seconds. Relm's face was filled with hatred. Navi was shocked. The look didn't last long. They were passed quickly, the other four now well down the road. Sheila kicked her heels together and the horse ran off towards the other two.

A short while after the riders left the village, horses rode into the village and stopped in front of the inn. A boot planted down into the sandy road. A horse neighed nearby. A man in grand armor sniffed the air, glancing around. Another entered into the hotel for a bit and came back out a few minutes later. "Captain, they're not here. They must've already left."

The captain closed his eyes, nodding his head. "Very well, then. Our highness, the queen, says that their next destination will be to Zora's Domain to the north. They can't be far ahead, but just in case, lieutenant," he turned to another rider near to him, "you shall ride north along with the Masan captain and your forces together. If they reach Zora's Domain before you do, they will probably have time to escape through the river. If this is the case, we shall be able to cut them off at Lake Hylia."

The lieutenant saluted and mounted his horse, riding away to gather the remaining troops in the city. The captain then felt a hand on his shoulder. "Gersh, why must you do this? She is doing no harm!"

Gersh crossed his arms. "She is a princess. She has no business running about the country, especially when dark powers are at work. Had you not helped her escape, Baask, and then covered for it, we wouldn't have to do this."

Baask narrowed his eyes. "Hmph… Whatever. All I know is that she has been trapped in that castle all her life, and now, the little bit of freedom she has, she is losing it."

"Just get out of my face!" Gersh demanded. "I will not change my stance. Now go before I strike you down this instant. Friends we may be, I won't stand by when the life of our princess is in danger! You were forgiven for the misdeeds of before because of trickery, but if our princess is harmed because of you, you will see no end of trouble. Do you understand?"

Baask lowered his head and closed his eyes, but finally reluctantly nodded. "Yes, of course."

"Very well, then," Gersh replied. "Go."

Baask mounted his horse and called out to his troops. They road off and met with Gersh's lieutenant and his troops a short while later, at which point they all joined together and raced north out of Kakariko and into the eastern fields of Hyrule, all the while trekking north towards Zora's Domain, and towards Link and his companions.

Further on along in the canyon, Navi and Sheila road along on Malon's spare horse lent to them. Both were silent. Navi wanted to bring up Relm, but she held her tongue. Instead, she decided to change the subject. "So, do you want to name her?" she asked.

Sheila shrugged. "I always called her Snowstorm. She's pure white, like snow, but she's also not the best to get along with. There was a special song that Malon always used to sing to get her attention, though. She used to sing it to all the horses… even… erm…"

Navi sighed. "Yes, I heard about that. It's a strange tale indeed, but Link told me about you, and Relm, and the pr—er, Sheik… I already know Link and Saria, though, of course."

That did get Sheila's attention. She already knew about that, of course, but now she was curious… "Ah… Yes, how did you know about them, anyway? They said I was a Kokiri… I think I got it all figured out, but I just don't know… it's all so… confusing…"

Navi laughed. "Most things in this world are confusing. You'd have never believed the adventure I had with Link if I told you."

"That, too…" Sheila muttered. "You're a fairy, right? Well… you don't look like a fairy at all… I've seen fairies before."

"That's an easy one," Navi replied. "Most fairies appear in their normal forms. However, some are willing to take on more human-like, human-sized forms. These are generally Greater Fairies; fairies with strong magical power. Even I am considered a greater fairy, but I'm not as powerful as the strongest ones—the ones actually given the title of 'Great Fairy.'"

"In truth, I could appear in fairy form if I wanted to. I just…" she lowered her head.

"After that time…?" Sheila remarked.

Navi nodded. "After Link and I separated, I was dispirited. I changed greatly. That is the last time I ever used my fairy form at all. I still have my healing magic, though."

The white-haired girl nodded. "I see…"

The fairy crossed her arms. "So, are there any more questions you have?"

Sheila nodded. "Many… what about the Kokiri, though? I already mentioned that before, but…"

"Yes, of course," the reply came, "all Kokiri are ageless, as you know. Well, okay, they age up to a certain point. You heard some of this already, but I'll explain it again. The Kokiri start off at about the age of two and grow on after that. However, they still act like newborns. They age slower than humans, or even Hylians. They are born of the woods; perhaps you could call them forest sprites, but they are still very much human. They stop aging after ten years, when they are approximately that exact age physically in human years, so long as they stay within the bounds of the forest."

"And should they leave the forest…?" Sheila added.

Navi sighed. "The Kokiri are merely told that should they leave the forest they would die. However, if they leave the forest for an extended period of time, at any point, they lose the protection of the forest and will now age regularly just like normal people. Even should they return to the forest it will not protect them. In a sense, they surely will die—it's just not immediate, as is implied."

"You were taken from the woods as a newborn child. This was all destined to occur prior. However, Saria is an exception. She is actually many centuries old. Normally Kokiri fade away after a hundred years, but as the Sage of Forest, she did not. Kokiri who fade pass into the afterlife and become fairies. Fairies are essentially 'older' Kokiri who never age. I already explained the rest about fairies."

Sheila nodded. "Mmm… I kinda guessed some of that, and some of that I heard before, but it's nice to get the full details."

Navi smiled. "Of course."

Despite this discussion, Sheila's mind was still occupied. She figured that Navi purposely was bringing this up to try and keep off the subject of what was bugging her, but the young white-haired ranch hand still was not satisfied. Navi seemed like a nice girl, though… maybe she could help…

"Um… Navi…" Sheila began.

Navi raised an eyebrow. _'Is she finally willing to talk?'_

"Yes?"

A sigh escaped from Sheila's lips. "Something happened earlier… That girl, Relm… She's been acting weird ever since I first saw her. I don't like it."

'_So the truth comes out…'_ Navi thought. "Link told me a little about her, but I don't know much. She does seem to be the tough type, though. I don't think it's anything bad, but mostly prejudice. She is very serious with everything she does. I doubt she'd cause any big trouble, but she might get carried away…"

Sheila narrowed her eyes. "She tried to kill me…"

Navi jumped back in surprise, so much so that she almost fell from Snowstorm's back. She pulled herself back up though and placed a hand on Sheila's shoulder. "She did what?!"

"Relm mentioned something about thinking that I was behind this… Sorceress… whoever-she-is… I don't know how she could possibly say that, though! I don't know where she even heard such a thing. It's crazy! I barely know anything about magic as is…"

Navi placed her hand on her head and shook it, following with a sigh. "She has negativity against you because of your past with Ingo. Plus, you're the odd-one-out in this group. You have no connections to anyone else, except that you happen to be from the Kokiri Tribe. She obviously heard something, and she believes you to be at fault. Whatever she heard might not even be true, anyway, but she clearly believes it. She's stubborn like that…"

The young Kokiri sighed again, slightly from relief, and yet slightly from worry at the same time. "Thank you… it helps, a little…"

"At least you were willing to talk about it," Navi added.

Sheila nodded. "Yeah… You're right. I feel much better."

The pink-haired one nodded. "Glad I could help," she remarked.

Suddenly, Sheila gasped out. "Oh no!" she cried.

Navi glanced ahead. "What..? What's wrong?"

She quickly realized what was wrong, though. Sheila was distracted from her riding, and now they had lost the other four. All that could be seen was stone ground and mountains around them.

Sheila burst into tears. "We're lost! And it's my fault!"

Navi shook her head. "Ride on. They can't be too far ahead. I know this place. Just go!"

The white-haired one nodded, wiping her tears. "Very well, then…"

She clacked her heels together tightly. "Hiya!"

Snowstorm dashed forward at incredible speeds. Navi held on tightly, watching as the world flew by. Her mind was elsewhere, though… _'Hmph… Now I wonder who could've possibly told Relm that…? The mask salesman, perhaps? I knew he was supposed to return, but he must've missed Link and met with Relm and Zelda… Question is, though… WHAT did he tell them?'_

Navi sighed, glancing around. _'I guess I won't know now… but I'll be sure to talk with Relm about it later,'_ she told herself. Suddenly, she heard something… horses!

Sheila glanced back slightly. "Hey, I think I hear them ahead! We must be close."

The fairy looked off into the distance. She saw a ways down the road through the canyons, but they were nowhere in sight. Surely they should be visible by now, shouldn't they? It was a fairly straight path, and then it opened up to a much wider field in northern Hyrule which led to the pass of Zora's River. From here one could see miles ahead, yet there were no riders in any visible line of sight.

However… the galloping of horses grew ever louder. Not just one or two, but an entire fleet! Navi gritted her teeth, glancing back. She didn't see anything in place sight, but she saw dust billowing up over the ridge. She turned forward, again. "Um… Sheila… I think you might want to pick it up… That's not Link, Saria, Relm, and Zelda… We're being followed!"

Sheila stared blankly. "But who--?!"

"Halt in the name of the king of Hyrule!" a voice called out from behind.

"Hylian soldiers?!" Sheila called out in surprise. "What?!"

Navi gritted her teeth. "Keep moving! Don't listen to them!"

The young Kokiri girl clacked her feet together and Snowstorm ran swifter. However, the calls of the soldiers and the smacking of hooves grew ever louder. Instantly the horse pulled to a halt as a rider swept up in front of them.

"Halt!" the man demanded.

Spears pointed down at them from all around. Navi groaned. "What now…?" she muttered.

Sheila just turned down and cried. It was hopeless.

* * *

_**Author's Note(s)**_: This chapter isn't so bad, but frankly, I prefer the next couple. Regardless, things are really starting to kick up now. It seemed like things were moving slowly, like they had all the time in the world... well, I fixed that with a few -minor- plot updates that don't change much at all in the long run, but merely make things more intense.

As for another FYI, I've been learning how to sprite better, recently, and I even found a couple of facemakers. Now I can include character expressions in the game, and I also have sprites for Link at last, as well as Queen Zelda, King Daphnes, and Captain Baask. Haven't work on more in a while, though; I've been messing with the aforementioned facemaker and writing. ^_^

In other news, Sonic Unleashed is looking quite awesome thus far. Wii/PS2 version is likely not as good as the 360/PS3 version, but at least I get to enjoy the game. I'll pick it up for mah PS2 after I get some more money. Before that, though, I'll probably be getting a new headset, plus an extra GB of RAM for my PC and an extra 40 GB hard disc space (I should be upgrading from a 40 GB to an 80 soon; the only reason I have a 40 now is because dad fried my last 80 GB drive a while back... good thing the motherboard wasn't damaged).


	32. Epitome of Water

**Author's Note(s)**: Meh... That was annoying... Went in for a tour at UPS today, only to find out that it was supposed to be _PM_ instead of _AM_. Time doesn't bother me, but I was just peeved I made that mistake. Bah... guess I'll be going back tonight... Anyway, enjoy the chapter. ^^ (Frankly, this is probably one of my favorites thus far.)

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 32: Epitome of Water**_

Link dismounted Epona, his boots pressing hard into the gravel. Tall mountains overlooked them; high and far. In the far distant north he saw great snow-capped mountains, which he guessed was the Snowpeak region. Water flowed down from there and into Zora's Domain, and down the river, flooding life into all the fields and forests and every other region of Hyrule.

A great waterfall billowed down into Zora's River, which flowered swiftly south. Link turned back and saw Relm and Zelda—still disguised as Sheik, of course, cross the bridge on horseback and arrive. He looked on further southeast, across the plains, trying to see if he could spot the white horse rode by Sheila and Navi. It did not come.

"Where are the others?" Saria asked, hopping down and turning to Relm.

Relm raised an eyebrow, glancing around. Finally, she turned back to Link. "They're not with you? We weren't that far apart, were we?"

Zelda shrugged her shoulders. "I wasn't paying attention… I just assumed they were right behind us. I know for a fact that they never passed us."

Saria crossed her arms, looking at the ground. "Should we go back for them?"

Link closed his eyes and shook his head. "No, they'll be fine. Sheila may not know the way, but Navi should. She'll lead them here. We must hurry and find the final spirit. First, though, I suspect that we should find Princess Ruto."

"You mean 'Queen' Ruto," Zelda remarked.

Saria raised an eyebrow. "How do you know that?"

Zelda stared blankly. "I, um…"

"Well, she probably was up here before," Relm commented. "Or she heard about it. The Zoras populate the waters, so Sheik probably learned about it through them."

Saria shrugged. "I guess…"

"Whatever the case, we should head upstream to the entrance. It shouldn't be that far. We'll take care of this, and if Sheila and Navi haven't arrived by then, we'll go and look for them," Link stated.

"Sounds fine by me," Relm remarked.

Link grabbed Epona's reins and they trudged up through the hills cut into the mountains. It was more like an upward chasm, but nobody complained. Relm did not go just yet. Instead, she turned to Zelda. "What's wrong with telling her, sis? It's not like there's anything big to hide."

Zelda narrowed her eyes, eying Relm through the wrappings over her face. "What if she tells someone and they send me back? I'm not going back now! …maybe not ever… I don't care what they say. Saria I fear is one who would do that, and Sheila…? Well, I don't know her well at all. I knew about Saria and the sages through my mother."

Relm crossed her arms, looking out into the sky. "Hm… you and me both…"

Zelda groaned. "Don't start on that again! I don't know much about Sheila, know, but I'm positive she has nothing to do with that. You're about to believe a random guy who walked up to us in the woods than someone you've know for… well, not long, but you've seen her! She was manipulated by that Ingo character."

"Whatever."

Zelda said some more, but Relm wasn't paying attention. Zelda, too, finally stopped, and instead followed her gaze out to the west. Dark storm clouds billowed high in the sky, and were rapidly spreading. Lightning flashed and rain poured down. Suddenly, it was already upon them.

"What?! How's this…"

"Gannondorf," Relm answered. "His power is growing."

Lightning struck ground nearby in seven different locations, then another, and then yet another… One even hit a tree. Shadows lurched from the ground where the bolts had struck. Bony hands stuck up out of the ground and pulled out entire skeletal bodies. The tree that had been struck uprooted itself and began walking like a human being, using its roots as feet and its branches as hands.

Relm gritted her teeth and swiped out her daggers. "Damnit, this isn't what I was looking forward to today!"

"Stalchids?!" Zelda called out in reply, removing her chain whip from her belt.

A bony hand grabbed Zelda's ankle and she cried out, kicking back with her right foot. The stalchid's hand came off, but it pressed harder, reaching forward with its other hand and slashing out, but missing any contact with human flesh.

The princess backed away, fear suddenly gripping her heart. The only battle she had been involved in before was against Ingo, and that seemed like a piece of cake. Except that she had come in when Ingo was already in a state of weakness and she had found a way to pin him back. That's the only way she came off looking like anything more than a scared child.

Relm dived forward and cut up across the undead creature's neck, and then followed with a swift strike from the other dagger, slicing apart its backbone. It collapsed into the ground and faded into a gooey shadow. That was only one, though.

Three more came up against them. Relm lunged forward, kicking off the head of the central demon, followed up with a backflip as she spun her body in a complete three-sixty. Daggers poised in her hands, she tore the final stalchids to pieces before landing back down on the ground.

"They're coming straight for us…" Relm muttered. "That devil Gannondorf must've sent this creatures for us, specifically."

Zelda just stared in shock, gripped with fear, backing away slowly. "I… I…"

"You what?" Relm asked, glancing over her shoulder. "You never realized just how dangerous the real world is? Perhaps you WOULD have been better off staying back at the castle."

The elder narrowed her eyes. "How DARE you talk to me like that! Why, I…"

Relm re-sheathed her daggers and shifter her position so she could watch Zelda carefully. "Hmph… Just a spoiled brat, as I thought. Empty threats and no action. What could you possibly do to me? We may technically both be royalty, but we were raised in different worlds. Out of the six of us, I am the second youngest, yet I could best anyone else in a fight except maybe Link. Don't you find that ironic?"

Zelda opened her mouth, but no words came. Relm continued. "Take Freya and go find Link; help him and Saria find the Zora queen. I'll take of things here. You're no use to me; you'll only slow me down and get yourself killed. You don't even deserve to where those garments. You barely know how to use them properly!"

The princess closed her eyes and sighed. She unwrapped the bandages over head and tossed them away. The wind caught hold and the white wrappings flew off into the horizon. Zelda at last turned back to Relm. "I will prove myself to you. I swear it!"

With that, she swung herself back onto the horses back and clacked her heels together, racing off into the mountain pass. Relm watched her sister go, not turning back until the horse and rider were out of sight. She heard a cry from behind and quickly swung her dagger back, cutting the throat of the approaching stalchid. "Shut up, you."

Relm suddenly spun back, swinging hard and slashing across. However, that's when she hit a snag. Her dagger would not come out of the wood of the ent that had approached. "Damn!"

_**XXXXX**_

The demonic creature cried out in terror as the holy blade of light struck across its chest. Saria stood huddled up against the rock wall behind in, covering her eyes in fear. Link, too, feared such creatures, but they feared his blade even more.

"Fall before the Master Sword, monster of death!" Link called out, striking back up with the sword again.

The ReDead collapsed to the ground and faded into mist once more. It was the very same mist he saw back in Dodongo's Cavern. He didn't really pay much heed to that, though. He raced forward and grabbed Saria's hand, pulling her up.

"I don't like this," she stated.

"I understand. Let's hurry on; Relm and Sheik probably need our help."

Saria nodded back. "Yes… I suppose so."

"Link! Saria!" a voice called out.

Saria heard the voice, and also heard hooves clacking against the ground. It sounded like Sheik, but when she came into view…

"Zelda?!" Saria called out, stunned. "What are you—"

Then she realized that she was wearing Sheik's clothes.

"Where's Relm?" Link demanded.

Zelda breathed in heavily. "Relm… fighting…"

That was enough for him. Link whistled and Epona came running back down the mountain. She had ran off when the monsters appeared, which he promptly dispatched with ease, only to find that a ReDead had cornered Saria.

As the horse came by Link immediately grabbed the reins and swung up and around, landing safely on her back. He raised his sword high. "We have to go help her!"

Zelda shook her head. "No… She said to leave it to her. We have to find Ruto!"

"But—"

She shook her head again, tearing up. "She's strong… She can handle herself… unlike me…"

Link sighed. "You're strong, too… You just don't realize it yet. Come on; let's go."

Saria just stared and watched, bewildered. So Zelda was Sheik all along? And Link KNEW about it? _'Why didn't they tell me? It's not like I would've said anything…'_

She closed her eyes, gritting her teeth. _'First Link leaves and doesn't return for twenty years, then he doesn't recognize me, then he wants things to be the way they were, now he doesn't even trust me?!'_

Saria's mind was overflowing with anger, contempt, sadness, fear, anxiety, and all these mixed feelings. She hated Link for leaving, she loved him dearly, she was angry with him for treating her this way, she feared what was to come, she was distraught over the trouble she caused and everything else… She didn't even think about the words before they came billowing out of her mouth in a fit of tears, throwing her arms out to her side.

"WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS!?"

Link and Zelda were both startled by the sudden outburst. "Saria…? What's wrong?"

Saria gasped out, placing her hand over her mouth. "What…?"

A bolt of lightning suddenly struck the ground in front of Epona. The horse jumped back up on its hind legs as Link struggled for control. Zelda held Freya's reins tightly as she, too, struggled to keep her horse under control.

Epona jumped up and rush off. Link was thrown from her back and slammed hard into a rock wall. The Master Sword fell from his hands and rolled a few feet away. A large bulking foot stepped onto the blade of the sword as the swirling mists died down, revealing a large spear-wielding Moblin.

The creature roared out, slamming its hand into the stone nearby, smashing a layer of it off. Freya lurched back, now more terrified than ever. The Moblin glanced around, first at Saria, then at Zelda. Finally, it turned its eyes to the boy lying at the side of the stone, collapsed into a heap upon the ground.

Saria cried out. "Link!"

The Moblin raised the spear in its left hand and made its way towards Link, whom could barely move. It lifted its left hand behind its head, reading to strike. Finally, the creature threw its hand forward. But it got caught.

Zelda had jumped off of Freya's back as the horse darted off, ran behind the Moblin, and threw her chain whip around the Moblin's arm. Saria decided to pull out the Kokiri Sword from her side and help Link, as well, racing forward and slicing up across its arm.

The large beast roared in pain, dropping the spear in its hand. However, it wasn't beaten yet. The creature pulled its arm tightly forward, tearing Zelda straight off of the ground. It gripped the chain tightly in its hand and swung in a complete circle, finally letting go and throwing her straight into another rock wall on the opposite side of the path as where Link was, in the same direction she had been earlier when Freya ran off.

The princess slammed hard into the wall, crashing into the ground. A few rocks fell on top of her. Saria cried out, racing over to her. "Zelda!"

The Kokiri girl flung the rocks off of Zelda quickly, trying to clear the way. She heard the heavy footsteps getting louder and she knew the Moblin was concentrating on them, now, instead of Link. Saria hastened, tossing the last rock off of Zelda. The princess moaned a bit, raising her head slightly and looking around dazed, but collapsed back into the ground.

"No!" Saria cried. "Wake up; you've got to wake up!"

A roar broke her concentration. Saria glanced back and saw the Moblin towering above her. She quickly turned back and slipped her hands underneath the princess, raising her slightly before dodging to the side and rolling along the ground. Zelda rolled, as well, against the cold hard stone next to where Link was.

The Moblin came back again, racing toward Saria. She did not have enough time to get out of the way. It charged forward, but suddenly a blew object cut along its side and went completely around the beast, bloodying its chest. It cried out in pain and Saria looked up to see what had caused it.

A zora stood at the top of the ridge. The blue object spun back towards him and he caught it in his hand, placing it back against the side of his arm again. Saria gave off a disgusted look. "He threw his own fin?!"

The zora jumped down and pulled a bonefish from his back, strings attached to the front of it. "Let me sing you a little tune, beasty!" he called out, mockingly, strumming against the object.

A loud soundwave echoed out from what Saria now realized was an instrument. The Moblin reach up to its ears, crying out loudly. Saria pushed herself to her feet again and raced forward, slicing against the Moblin's back with her Kokiri Sword once more. It cried out in pain, screaming in agony. It tried to backslap Saria, but the zora strummed again and the beast covered its ears.

More sounds echoed out from the top of the ridge. A series of other zoras appeared, all playing different intruments. The moblin apparently had sensitive hearing, as it couldn't stand all the noise. It collapsed to its knees in painful agony. It then cried out again when a chain struck its back and a series of tiny needles impeded into it.

"Zelda!" Saria called out.

A hand reached down and picked up the Master Sword off the ground. The figure moved swiftly, dashing forward and slamming the blade straight into the Moblin's side. A painful cry billowed out from the creature before it finally collapsed into the ground, returning to the dark mists from whence it came.

The music died as the zoras stopped playing. The first zora that Saria had seen walked up to the wielder of the sword, nodding his head. "You must be Link," he remarked.

Link nodded his head. "Yes, I am. And who are you?"

The male zora laughed out. "Aha!"

He quickly flipped backwards through the air and the other zoras, big and small, filed in line around him, all of them bowing. "I am Mickaw, lead guitarist of the Super-Go-Go's and King of Zoras. I welcome thee."

Link narrowed his eyes, staring down the strange zora. "Super-Go-Go's…?" he muttered to himself.

Mickaw nodded. "Why, of course."

Saria walked up and stood next to Link, bowing slightly. Zelda came beside her and did the same. "Thank you for helping us," Saria stated.

"We really owe you one," Zelda added.

Saria looked back up to him, again, nodding. "So... do you know where Ruto is?"

Mickaw closed his eyes, nodding his head. "Ruto, my queen, and my wife, is not here. She and a group of our soldiers went down the river to our sacred temple at Lake Hylia. I was just heading there now when I found you guys."

Link chuckled a bit. "Mmm… So, Mickaw, have you ever heard of Mikau of the Indigo-go's?"

Mickaw raised an eyebrow. "Mikau? Indigo-go's? I don't know what you're talking about. I would know of any rival zora bands."

"It's nothing," the green-clad hero remarked.

"So will you take us to Ruto?" Zelda asked.

The zora king nodded. "Why yes, my dear princess! We shall take the river. That would be the swiftest way to Lake Hylia."

"Sir!" a voice called out.

The voice happened to be another zora, a scout, apparently, who ran up the path from down below. Mickaw turned to him. "Yes?"

"Soldiers from Hyrule Castle have arrived. A group of monsters had been trying to climb the mountain, but a red-haired girl was fighting them off. The soldiers came in and destroyed the monsters and captured the girl, though, and said that they will only release the hostages should the princess return with them to Hyrule Castle."

Zelda gasped out. "Relm!"

"Hostages?" Saria asked. "But they only got—"

Link narrowed his eyes. "Sheila and Navi… the two must've fallen back and the soldiers overtook them."

"We have to hurry!" Saria called out.

Zelda crossed her arms. "They will pay for this…"

Link led the way and raced down the path, followed by Saria and Zelda. Mickaw called out to them. "I'll meet you guys later! Don't you worry, I'll prepare everything!"

Mickaw nodded and turned to his companions. "Ready the two boats and ship them downstream. I'll catch them and take them to Link and his friends."

The zora nodded and raced off. Mickaw, on the other hand, stood and watched Link, Saria, and Zelda continue down the path. _'May the grace of the Goddesses be with you, warriors of light…'_ he whispered in his head.

* * *

**Author's (Extra) Note**: [quote, unquote] "Fall before the Master Sword, monster of death!"

O_o

That's officially the worst line I've ever written... XD


	33. Rapids Flight

**_Author's Note(s)_**: LONGEST. CHAPTER. EVER. No, seriously.

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 33: Rapids Flight**_

Relm struggled with all her might to break free of the soldier's tight grip. She wriggled and writhed, twisting her arms forward and back. "Let GO of me you creep!" she demanded.

But it was no use.

"I'm sorry, little girl, but I can't do that," he remarked. "Orders are orders."

The soldier was a good couple heads taller than she was. He was extremely heavy and muscular. Relm herself was quite strong in her own right, but she wasn't strong enough to take on a Hylian soldier, let alone a group of them. She had managed to break free once earlier, but he was younger; newly recruited. After she had gotten away, three more jumped on her and restrained her, and after that she was placed under the watch of this man.

Relm had fought hard against the incoming monsters before. The ent was a minor annoyance, but she had kicked it back and swiped out her dagger once more, following up by whispering a quick spell to send the creature into oblivion. Stalfos came out next, much stronger than the stalchids, but she was able to handle them for a while until it became overwhelming. That's when the soldiers arrived and finished them off.

However, it still wasn't good for her. Relm realized that the soldiers also had captured Navi and Sheila. She thought she was safe, until she saw that. She fought on, but knew there was no way she could beat them. Strangely, she noticed that the clouds were gone at that point and no more monsters returned.

The only thing that she could think of was that these soldiers must have been possessed by either Gannondorf, or the Sorceress, or whichever. She had no idea who was working for who; who was masterminding this whole thing. She guessed that the Sorceress must've planned all this out to release Gannondorf, and now the evil king's power was spreading. Either way, it mattered not. She couldn't escape.

"Relm! Navi! Sheila!"

"It's Link!" Navi called out, her arms clasped tightly by one of the soldiers.

Sheila looked up from her tears. "Hey, there's Saria, too, and…" she stopped.

"Sister!" Relm called out.

"Zelda…?" Sheila muttered. "Okay, now I am OFFICIALLY confused…"

Zelda ran out behind Saria and Link and looked over the soldiers. Then her eyes met his and she was stunned. "C-Captain…? Why?!"

Baask lowered his head. "I'm sorry, but I'm on orders from Captain Gersh of the Hylian Army. You are to be returned to the castle at once. The hostages will be released once you comply with our orders."

"You again…?" Saria asked.

Baask sighed. "I thought we settled accounts, girl? Leave this matter be. It has nothing to do with you."

Navi closed her eyes and sighed. She opened them again and glanced up. That's when she saw something… a zora up on the ridge above the waterfall. Nobody else seemed to notice. He locked eyes with her and showed a small boat, winking. She raised an eyebrow, and then suddenly got an idea. She winked back and the zora nodded, disappearing from sight.

Baask stepped forward, laying his hand out in front of him and beckoning for Zelda to come. "Princess, this is a dangerous place for you to be. I'd never forgive myself if I let you get killed. I'm sorry, but you have to come with me."

Zelda backed away, shaking her head. Link stepped in front of her, removing the Master Sword. Baask raised an eyebrow. "Ah, the blade of evil's bane… I have heard of this. However, it's strength lies only in fighting the darkness. What could it possibly do against a trained soldier such as me?"

Link narrowed his eyes. "Release them. Now. Zelda stays with us, too. She needs time away from the castle once and a while, you know? She will never learn how to protect herself unless she has time to herself, to learn her own strengths and how to overcome."

Baask lowered his head. "I—"

The Hylian lieutenant walked up and pushed Baask aside. "You're too soft, Captain. You need to enforce your will upon them," he stated, removing his sword.

Baask narrowed his eyes. "Gersh is stubborn. Who told you to bring the princess home, anyway? Was it the queen? Did King Daphnes send us out? No. It was the Captain of the Guard. He insisted that the princess be brought home. The queen did not want her daughter to leave the castle in the first place, but when she left, anyway, did Queen Zelda insist that a search be carried out? She can read the future, if you did not know. She knows that this was destined to be!"

The Masan captain removed his blade and immediately a series of soldiers jumped on him to restrain him. Masan soldiers suddenly removed their weapons and rushed in to fight back the Hylian soldiers, and suddenly everyone was fighting one another. Saria and Zelda also proceeded to arm themselves, with Saria removing her Kokiri Sword and Zelda pulling out the chain whip she had.

As the fighting ensued, Relm struggled once more to break free, hoping that the confusion would break the concentration of her captor. He was less than obliged, though. Instead he pulled her back and held her down tightly. She couldn't even move her arms anymore. She glanced toward Navi and Sheila, whom were also being dragged away.

In an instant a bright light flashed out from the direction Sheila and Navi were in, stunning and blinding the guards. Relm's captor was stunned, as well, for when the light died away, Navi was gone. Relm smiled gleefully.

The red-haired girl raised her foot and slammed it back into the soldier holding her down. He cried out in pain and collapsed to the ground. Relm dashed ahead and picked up her daggers once again, joining in the fray and knocking a couple of Hylian soldiers back. This time she had backup as the Masan soldiers were assisting them.

Sheila, on the other hand, was still caught by the soldier, but she eyed Navi's former captor as he chased down a ball of light that had appeared shortly after Navi disappeared. It flew around, wings spread out. In the midst of the light was a young girl that Sheila recognized, but the guards didn't pay attention to.

Another flash of light erupted around the fairy and Navi stepped out. The guard was stunned. "What madness is this?!" he proclaimed, brandishing his weapon.

Sheila watched in horror and Navi just stood there, the guard barreling down upon her. He apparently didn't care about keeping her alive anymore, as was the plan. Gersh never intended for blood to be shed. Whatever the case may be, this soldier rushed to Navi, despite even Sheila's captor's wishes. It was short-lived, though.

Seconds before the soldier fell his blade, Navi raised her hands and a blue barrier appeared around her. The sword struck the barrier, and in an instant, the blade shattered into pieces. Navi's barrier lifted once more and she ducked forward, kicking at the soldier's feet and knocking him to the ground. She looked on to Sheila's captor and he let go, standing down.

Meanwhile, the two groups of soldiers continued fighting one another, both at a stalemate. Neither side wanted to harm the other, but at the same time, they didn't want to let the others get to their own captain, so they continued crossing blades, holding the opposite side at a halt.

A few Hylian soldiers did break through the lines, though. Link crossed blades with one of the soldiers, putting on a good fight. Saria and Zelda were spared, so they went in and worked together hand-in-hand in order to assist Link. None of the soldiers dared raise a blade against the Princess of Hyrule, and none wished to strike against a girl, either. This allowed Saria and Zelda to join in and stop soldiers who broke the lines the privilege of attacking Link or Baask.

Link brought his sword up and knocked down the soldier, but did not deal a finishing blow. He knew that their allegiance was to their captain and their king. Instead, he looked up to the lieutenant, sent by Captain Gersh, whom was now fighting against Baask of Masa.

"Lieutenant Trey, Gersh is wise yet he is a fool all the same! He thinks of his intentions as being the will of the queen, despite her saying nothing of the sort!" Baask called out.

Trey would not heed his words, though. "Hmph… Fool, Baask! Are you sentencing our princess to her death?"

Baask swung up as Trey's blade came down. "No, I dare not… Zelda is in better hands with Link than she is at the castle! Link may look young, but I sense in him great bravery and strength. Why do you not see it?!"

Trey stepped back, stunned. "You find our captain to be incompetent?"

The Masan captain flipped his sword and pointed the blade downward at a slant in front of his face. "No, I do not. Gersh is wise, but this is foolishness. Even he must understand that, but I fear something darker is blinding him from the truth, as is the same for you!"

The Hylian stared in disbelief. "How can you say this?"

Baask turned his head and looked off to the sky in the west, where dark clouds still lingered over the Gerudo Desert. "Did you not see the clouds rolling in just before we arrived? It was perfect weather, and in an instant, all became dark and monsters attacked. When we arrived and the beasts were slain with our swords, the clouds rolled back, yet they still linger. If such power summons demons from the abyss in seconds, what else could truly be brought by the evil forces at work?"

Trey paused briefly to ponder his words. Only briefly, though. "That's insanity!" he cried out, charging forward and swinging his sword upwards.

Baask was taken aback by the surprise attack and was not prepared for the blow. He raised his sword up quickly, but he had no grip and the blade flew from his hands. It spun through the air, slamming straight into the ground a few yards away.

The Hylian lieutenant was not finished, though. He struck across, again, aiming straight toward Baask's neck. Baask was not prepared, so he could merely duck out of the way to avoid being struck, but he wasn't quick enough to avoid it, and he knew it.

But the blade never hit home.

Sword clashed against sword; blade against blade. Link pressed the Master Sword hard against Trey's weapon, locking them together. Finally, Trey pulled back out of the sword lock, but remained shocked beyond all belief. "Impossible!"

Link shook his head. "Hmph… Another person who thinks that just because I am young I do not know the ways of the sword? Hah!"

Trey gritted his teeth, but swung his sword up once more. Unlike Baask, though, Link was ready. He clashed his blade against the hylian's, pushing the soldier back along the ground. They carried on a few more blows, steel striking steel. Trey suddenly made a surprise move, though, and struck from the side.

Link had not anticipated the move, but it mattered not. He had already rolled to the side and swung his foot around hard, knocking the soldier into the dirt. Trey realized that Link would've never actually struck him down, so he made a surprise attack, but did not realize that Link had already rolled around for his own surprise strike.

The Hylian pushed he himself quickly back to his feet and swung his sword back around to block Link's next attack. The green-clad hero barreled down hard upon the soldier, slashing the Master Sword straight down upon Trey's. Instead of simply knocking the sword out of the soldier's hand, though, Link cut straight through the blade, shattering it to pieces.

Lightning flashed in the sky again and all the fighting stopped. A bolt struck down directly in front of Link, and Trey cried out in pain as the electrical charge surged through him. Baask screamed at the top of his lungs, reaching out, but in seconds the soldier was merely a pile of dust upon the ground.

Link gasped out in surprise. "What the--?!"

Baask shuddered. "He… he truly was a pawn of Gannondorf all along, even though he himself didn't even know it… His mind was filled with thoughts that he never would have made before, and when he failed, the dark lord struck him down."

More bolts flashed around them and dark mists poured out. A few of the soldiers were taken aback as a new series of undead minions arose from the ground, including the zombie ReDeads, mummified Gibdos, skeletal Stalfos and Stalchids, and even Zombie Wolves.

Relm, too, watched as the minions appeared. Now all the soldiers, Hylian and Masan alike, stood by one another as the onslaught began. The red-haired girl was ready, as well, but she was distracted by a voice calling out from behind.

"Yoho, dudes, your ride is here!"

"It's Mickaw!" Zelda called out, pointing at the top of the ridge.

Relm, Sheila, and Navi ran up to where Link, Saria, and Zelda were, and Baask turned to face them, but keeping his eyes poised primarily on Link and Zelda. "Princess, go with god speed. Link, keep her safe. You must hurry and stop Gannondorf! Beware, though; Gersh is planning to stop you at Lake Hylia. You have to convince him otherwise! I do not wish to have the same fate await Gersh that Trey faced. We'll take care of these fiends and ride down after you."

Link nodded. "Thank you."

Baask held out his hand. Link took it, and they shook. Cries from the undead called out as they proceeded toward the group. Link turned back and raced toward the river.

Mickaw stood on one of the boats and surfed down the waterfall, dragging the second behind him. It toppled over the falls, but came back up with the bottom planted firmly in the water. Relm, Sheila, and Navi were nearest to the water and they jumped into the first boat with Mickaw, while the other three jumped into the second as the rapids carried them downstream.

Baask turned to the soldiers and called out to them. "Men of Hylia, and of Termina, listen to me! The Dark Lord's influence has taken Lieutenant Trey, and he is slain. I fear he has also taken that of Captain Gersh, as well. Link is the only hope for our survival, and we must defend him! Stop these fiends at all costs, and then we will continue downstream to Lake Hylia. Are you with me?"

The soldiers cheered, brandishing their weapons. The undead continued to approach, ever nearing. The soldiers rushed in, cutting down all who crossed their path. However, more and more monsters kept on appearing. Many soldiers were dragged to the ground, but they pressed on, never giving up.

Baask raced in himself and struck down undead minions with his spear, alternating with his sword, calling out orders and charges. Zoras came in and helped, as well, many using bows, with some warriors racing in with finely crafted blades made from fins and bones.

Suddenly, another great bolt struck the river, surprising everyone their, and distracting some of the soldiers, causing them to be dragged into the mass of undead. Tentacles lifted from the water and tossed away men near the edge, but sunk back into the depths and raced downstream. Baask gasped out. "It's a kraken!"

"Sir?" a soldier nearby asked.

Baask narrowed his eyes. He raised his sword high into the sky. "Archers! Swiftly! Stop that beast! You have to protect Link and his companions. Hurry!"

Zora archers jumped into the river and swam downstream after it, while Hylian and Masan archers mounted their horses and rode down, pulling out their bows and aiming towards the water, waiting for the beast to arise. Baask stood amidst the battlefield, eyes narrowed. _'Ganondorf… This isn't over…'_ he told himself, before rushing back into the fight.

Mickaw rode along the edge of the small boat as it floated downstream along Zora's River. Link, Saria, and Zelda watched him as he spoke, sitting in the same one. Relm, Sheila, and Navi were a little behind, but they were close enough to hear what the zora had to say.

"Well, peeps," the zora king remarked, "it is only a short ways more to reach Lake Hylia! I sure hope Rut is all right… I'm very worried about her."

Relm leaned back, eying the zora across the way. "Hmph! You? Worried? I didn't think you were the type…"

Mickaw turned to her. "Well, excuuuuse me, princess! I assure you that I do have thoughts and feelin's, y'know! Yeah, 'course I'm laid back, but that doesn't mean I don't care!"

Link rolled his eyes and chuckled slightly. "Man… You'd never catch _me_ saying that…"

"Wait, though…" Zelda remarked. "You knew she was a princess, too?"

Mickaw turned to Relm and jumped back, startled, falling into the water. Everyone laughed out. The zora quickly regained his balance and swam along the current back to the boat, hopping to his perch, again, staring at Relm. "Wait, wait… you actually ARE a princess?"

Relm lowered her head and crossed her arms. "Mmm… That was almost my expression when I found out… Meh…"

The zora put a hand up to his chin. "Hmm… I had heard that there was a second princess, but I didn't realize you were the one. Interesting…"

"Surprise, surprise," Relm remarked, "most people of importance I've met knew that. Now I gotta wonder how come I never did."

"So," Sheila called out, "how long until we reach Lake Hylia?"

Saria smiled, nodding her head. "Yes, I want to know that, too… It isn't too much further, right?"

Navi closed her eyes. "Well, from what I remember Lake Hylia is located in the far southwest of Hyrule. It was a lot quicker then to get to Lake Hylia along Zora's River, but last time we went there Zora's Domain was located in the east, along the southern portion of the Death Mountain Range…"

Mickaw nodded his head. "Yes, indeed… Unfortunately, though, a volcanic eruption from the mountain cut off the source of water. We zoras had no place left to go, so swam the rivers until we found the water source you saw before; the great delta that sends all the water to Hyrule. It's in the far north, near the chilly Snowpeak Mountains, but it is still far enough south that we aren't freezing, and yet are still cool enough to survive, so it was the perfect location to make our new home. I myself actually migrated to the Zora Colony in eastern Hyrule from lands to the south, though, beyond the forest and over the sea."

"The sea…?" Sheila asked, startled.

The zora king nodded. "Heh, you apparently don't know much about the world, do ya, girly? I'm talking about the sea; the ocean. Miles and miles of nothing but water! Then again, Hyrule is surrounded on all sides by mountains and forests. Mountains to the west created the hot, humid Gerudo Desert, to the far north, Snowpeak, and to the northeast, it makes up the Death Mountain Range and the Kingdom of Masa. The south and southeast are all forests, from Faron's woods to the south, and to the southeast, the Lost Woods. Beyond that is the Plains of Ordon. Beyond Faron's Woods to the south is the ocean, and further south is the Tropical Water Capital of the world, a kingdom amidst a coral reef of completely Zoras."

Zelda lowered her head. "Wow… The world is… so much bigger than I ever imagined… And that, as you said, is only a small portion of the world?"

"Yes, indeed it is… You'd never know how big it truly is unless you witnessed it yourself," Saria stated. "I saw the world… part of it, at least. There are many lands out to the east alone, and many strange and unusual sights. I wonder if we'll see them again."

Link turned to his friends, smiling. "Hmm… Maybe, after this is all over with, we can go visit them together, all of us."

Mickaw laughed. "And I'd be honored to join you, dudes. Perhaps even that Captain, Baask-whats-his-name, might wish to join you, too. I've seen him around before, and he's quite the adventurer. He himself knows a little bit beyond the borders of Hyrule."

The fairy girl giggled. "Heehee…" Navi remarked, "We've turned this into a lengthy discussion… and you never did answer that question by Sheila. How long 'til we reach Lake Hylia?"

The zora stood up, looking down across the land to the southeast, eying the river as it flowed swiftly downstream. "Ah, well, I'd say we'll be there in about—"

A crash hurled Mickaw over the edge of the boat and into the water. Zelda cried out, spinning around. Link and Saria were also startled, for they felt something push them forward from behind.

"What was that?!" Relm demanded, looking around.

Sheila was startled. "I… I didn't feel anything…"

Saria crouched down, frightened. "S-something… Something hit the boat from behind…"

"What happened to Mickaw?!" Link asked, glancing around.

A wave of water suddenly pushed the two small boats swiftly forward, and now a current picked them up, rushing them downstream at a rapid pace. An enormous roar echoed out from behind as huge tentacles waved around while the water continued to rise behind.

Relm jumped to her feet and pulled out her daggers from her sheaths. "What the devil?!"

Link, too, readied his weapon, removing the Master Sword from the sheath on his back, while Sheila pulled out her bow. "I don't like the looks of this…" the white-haired girl remarked.

A deep purple pointy head popped out from the water. Sharp teeth opened up from a large mouth; tentacles flailing all around from the creature. Water splashed, saliva dripped, and tensions swayed…

"A Big Octo…" Link muttered, startled.

"It looks like a kraken to me!" Zelda added in reply.

Navi nodded her head. "Big Octo, Kraken, Giant Squid… They're all the same. And they're all deadly."

A swift vertical strike almost knocked Relm off her feet, but she ducked and struck up quickly with her dagger, cutting across the tentacle. It bled slightly, but the octo pulled back the leg and sunk it beneath the water. Sheila took this moment to jump up and shoot at the octo with an arrow, hitting it on the side of its fleshy body. However, the arrow simply bounced off.

Zelda shook her head, calling out to Sheila. "That's not going to work; we need to find some other way! Don't waste your arrows just yet."

Saria stood up and turned away from the creature, spreading her arms out. A tentacle came speeding her way, but Navi noticed this and thrust her hands forward swiftly. A barrier appeared around Saria and the tentacle struck it hard. The barrier withheld the strike, but the beast kept hitting and hitting.

Link wasn't about to let it break through. He thrust the Master Sword deep into the slimy tendril, cutting up across and slicing the end off all together. Zelda screamed when the tip of it landed in the boat, green ooze filling the bottom.

The beast cried out, lowering its leg back into the water. Suddenly, though, it pulled out another series of swift barrages, hitting Link hard in the head and knocking him out, and following up with a series of slams against the barrier.

Navi felt the pressure coursing through her. She gasped with each strike, but tried her best to focus all her power onto the barrier. The legs dropped again.

"We have to stop this thing!" Relm cried out.

The girl stepped onto the side of the boat and jumped overboard, diving headfirst into the water. Zelda cried out. "No!"

Relm swam down, against the current as it pulled her along with the boats above, trying her best to see in the dark, murky water. She saw a number of tentacles fly past, and swiftly, she swung her arm around, cutting across one of them. This was the third tentacle now wounded, and the creature cried out again. However, the red-haired girl persisted, strike again and again, green ooze spraying out all across into the water.

A strike from behind suddenly stunned her, and she shook her head to regain her sight. Slimy tendrils wrapped around her legs and she struggled to get free, slashing at the arms. However, another took its place, and suddenly her arms were trapped, as well, with more wrapped around her body. She struggled and writhed. Her hair flowed out behind her in the water as her lungs burned. Finally, she couldn't hold it any longer… she opened her mouth and breathed in the water.

Above, Zelda watched as more bubbles popped up, and suddenly faded. She collapsed down, crying. Link stood up, noticing that Saria was still in her state, and he saw Zelda in tears.

Swiftly, though, the creature lurched back and threw its tentacles up, yelping out again. Water splashed next to the boat and up came Mickaw, an unconscious Relm in his hands. He placed Relm up onto the boat with Navi and Sheila and she collapsed down, soaking wet, coughing up water. Just as fast as he came, the zora was gone again.

"He's alive after all!" Zelda called out, happily.

A swift tentacle strike came once again, though, stopping them all in their thoughts. All eight tentacles, wounded and non, came out together as one, crashing down onto Saria's barrier. Navi's eyes shook violently and she crashed down into the bottom of the boat, her hair loosening and falling down behind her as she lost consciousness.

"SARIA!" Link cried out as the tentacles coursed around her.

Roots pulled out of the water and cut down across the twirling tendrils that threatened to take the Forest Sage's life. The kraken backed down, sinking beneath the waves. Saria suddenly collapsed to the bottom of the boat, too, but Link caught her quickly, pulling her into his arms. "Saria…? Saria?!"

She opened her eyes, smiling. "Link…?"

Link nodded. "Everything's fine… You did it!"

Another splash stunned them. "Yo, dude, ya better bite those words! Wooooah…" Mickaw called out, flailing around by his leg as the Big Octo swung him around by its tentacles.

"That thing's still alive?!" Zelda cried out.

Sheila glanced up again and gasped. "Hey, that's…"

The water kept racing downstream, and in and instant, the boat flew right past it. The girl grabbed the weed off the side of the rock wall. She looked around and noticed another object floating in the water. She grabbed it and pulled it out.

Relm, still drenched, looked up to her. "What are you doing?!"

Sheila glanced down, and then back to Relm. "Can I borrow one of your daggers?" she asked.

The red-haired girl raised an eyebrow. "What…? Why?!"

Tentacles slammed up against the side of the gorge, boulders falling down above them. Most missed, but one small rock fell next to Sheila. She glanced up at Relm. "Just GIVE me it!"

Relm gritted her teeth. She felt around her waist, reaching for her sheaths. "Damnit!"

"What?" the white-haired girl asked.

"When that creature grabbed me," the red-haired one began, "I must have dropped them in the water! Both of them are gone!"

"Woah!" Mickaw cried out again, slammed up into the rock formation above Relm and Sheila. An object fell from his hands and slammed hard down into the boat, just between Sheila's legs. Relm snickered. "Well, this solves that problem…"

Sheila grabbed the dagger and cut open the round, wooden object in her hands. She cut away the contents of it and used it as a small bowl. She grabbed the weed and placed it into the curved bottom, pounding down with the rock that landed in the boat earlier. "That should do for now, but there's something else I need…"

Zelda leaned back as the tentacle swung directly over her head. She quickly regained her footing, though, and threw her chain across it, pulling until the chain was tightly wrapped around the thriving tendril. She swung both arms hard right and the tentacle crashed into the rock wall.

The tug on the line came and she pulled with all her might, but the princess felt the links slipping through her fingers. Finally, she couldn't hold on anymore. The chain ripped from her hands and she fell back onto the floor. "No!"

Relm shook the lifeless body rapidly, but she would not budge. "Come on, girl, come on! You got to wake up! Come on!"

Navi opened her eyes briefly, but closed them again. Sheila gritted her teeth. "This won't do! I need her power to activate this formula!"

The red-haired one gritted her teeth. "Can't you see I'm trying?! She's breathing, but she's still out cold! Whatever that creature did, it sure put her out!"

Sheila closed her eyes, sighing. "Mmm…"

A tentacle crashed against the small boat once again, splintering pieces off of it. Saria yelped. "We can't escape, and I don't have enough energy to use my power again…"

Link shook his head, pulling a small mechanical device out of his pocket. "We'll see about that!"

The young hero pushed in the lever and launched the claw out. It caught hold of one of the tentacles and he banged it constantly against the wall. Gradually the creature stopping using some of its tentacles after them being damaged severely enough, but it still had a few left. Link held a grip on firmly to the Claw Shot, swinging around and trying to break the leg off from the creature.

The octo suddenly lurched back, holding its position as the water continued to flow rapidly downstream. Link gasped out as he was slowly pulled forward in the boat, tripping on the damaged wood in the flooring. He collapsed to the ground and Zelda jumped back, startled. "Having a little trouble, huh?"

Link groaned. "No thanks to you…" he mumbled.

The last straw snapped in the princess's mind. She pushed Link aside and grabbed hold of the claw shot, releasing the hook that attached to the tentacle. As quickly as the chain pulled back, the beast dashed forward, slashing out again. Zelda didn't pull the hook completely back in, though. She swung hard up and the long chain cut across the leg, and spinning her hands above her head, she lassoed out and cut the leg completely off.

It fell into the water, and the creature let its other legs open, as well. Mickaw finally fell into the water once more. Zelda reeled in the shot just in time to hear a voice from the other boat.

"Zelda!" Sheila called out.

Zelda had almost no time to react before an object flew through the air towards her. She grabbed it, but was grossed out to find that it was a large, round fish. "What?!"

"THROW IT!" Relm demanded.

The princess stared at the object as it began to flash red. Link gasped. "It's a bomb fish! Hurry, throw it at the kraken! Now!"

Zelda reeled her arm back far and swung it swiftly forward. "Duck!" Sheila cried out, before ducking herself.

An enormous explosion of ice spread out around from where the fish had landed. Icicles froze the water and spread out along the land. The big octo, the mighty kraken, was frozen solid behind a thick layer of ice.

"What was THAT?!" Zelda called out.

Sheila giggled. "Heehee… I mixed up a concoction of the puff weed and a couple other forms that create an instant freeze. The bomb fish came from the water. When it exploded, it released the mixture all around and froze everything in the near vicinity."

Relm narrowed her eyes. "Wow, I… I'm shocked… You really did it…"

Saria sighed. "Is it finally over?"

A loud rumbling stopped them in their thoughts. Mickaw jumped out of the water and laughed out. "Yo, dudes, its time for the finale! Brace yourselves!"

"Finale?" Link asked.

Sheila looked out ahead. She saw sky off into the distance… and a drop straight down. "I think he means…"

"A waterfall!" Saria concluded.

Mickaw jumped out over the falls as the two boats went tumbling down after them, six figures freefalling straight into an endless sea of water. The noise from the falls prevented their screams from being heard.


	34. Desert Armada

**Author's Note(s)**: Probably the second-longest chapter in the whole story. The delay in getting this up was caused by the lack of a computer, not the lack of inspiration. Actually, I'm already on Chapter 36, and at the end of it, no less.

_**Notes about the previous chapter...**_

I didn't want to detail this before due to how long that chapter was. I'll look into some of the things in the previous chapter and explain them.

_"Excuuuuse me, Princess!"_

If Link's line in Chapter 32 about "fall to the power of the Master Sword!" doesn't kill me, then this WILL. Most people reading the story probably got the pun, but for those who didn't, its a horrible, horrible line that Link frequently speaks in the old Legend of Zelda cartoon series. He always says that to Zelda. Mickaw just fits for saying something like that. XD

_Sheila's Freeze Bomb_

A little mary sue-ish? I don't know. I invented the idea of Sheila being of greater intelligence when working on the game version, and having the 'Chemist' class. Originally it was going to be game-exclusive, but I put it in here. Essentially, the 'Puff' Weed acts as a super-coolant. She also used another plant that enhances its effects. Mixed together, in creates a blue steam-like substance that freezing anything it touches instantly. She then used a Fish Bomb from the water to cause the steam to spread in a wide range. The explosion blew it out in all directions. That's just how I explain it. This may pop up again later, too...

_Saria's Magic_

Saria has elemental magic relating to the forest, primarily Earth, but also Wind. In some cases you see her manipulating the wind, and in others, plants and even a little bit of actual dust and dirt. Being a sage, she should have some powers related to that, so its reflected upon in such a way.

That's it for this commentary. ^^

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 34: Desert Armada**_

Her eyes slowly opened… Water flowed past her fingers. Her hair was soaked and her clothes damp. She was slightly leery; her eyes blurred…

However, things began to come back together. The world became clearer around her. She saw a sandy shore with grass beyond. A bridge was off to the right, and mountains were around. A waterfall billowed a little ways behind her. Beyond the bridge was more grass and a cliffside path leading to a building along the edge, with another series of bridges coming back this way and heading to an island in the middle of the large lake.

She was still out of it, though, and could not make out the extra details. She heard a voice calling out to her. A hand was on the ground, and a face, blurred, but visible, was in the air. The lips moved, but she couldn't quite make it out.

"Navi… Navi!"

Navi shook her head and her vision finally cleared up. She glanced around and saw Relm standing above her to her right, and Sheila to the left. No one else was around. "Huh…? Where are we…"

Relm crossed her arms. "Hm… That kraken, or octo, or whatever you want to call it, sure did some work on you. You've been out for hours! When the boat went over the waterfall, Sheila and I dug for you in the water, trying to pull you back up."

"We're at Lake Hylia, I think…" Sheila remarked. "I don't know what happened to everyone else."

The fairy looked down at the ground. "I've been out for… hours?"

Sheila nodded. "Mmhmm… It took us a while to get rid of that octo. I finally was able to create a freeze bomb with a few supplies I found around in order to stop it, and a bunch of zoras and some soldiers came in and finished off the creature. You were out ever since Saria's magic barrier was broken…"

"That's it!" Navi called out, standing up. "The power overflowed and collapsed… I was unable to hold it back. I've… never had that happen before. It is strange."

Relm shrugged her soldiers. "Have you ever done that with Link before?"

Navi shook her head. "No… Most of my spells I learned much later."

"In that case," the red-haired on remarked, "you probably never had tried to protect someone from such a powerful creature. That would explain why it didn't work the way you planned."

The fairy girl sighed. "I guess… Yeah, you must be right… I guess I was just being too overconfident in my own abilities. Even I can't protect myself, or anyone else, from such strength."

"Well," Sheila stated, "what next?"

Navi nodded. "Right. How long have we been here?"

Relm looked to the sky. "I'd say about an hour… Most of the time you were out was on the boat. After we went over, it took us a while to find you and get you to shore, and then we spent the rest of the time trying to wake you up."

"Very well, then, we should continue on."

Navi led Relm and Sheila toward the bridge, talking along the way. "I do remember this place. It has changed a little, but most is at I remember. It does seem that erosion and sediment build-up around has caused some structural changes, causing the lake to be lower, but otherwise, everything is about the same. We just have to head across this bridge to reach the Laboratory, and then follow the bridges back over to the Temple."

Suddenly, though, Navi stopped before the bridge, turning back to Relm. "There is one more thing I want to talk about, though…" she remarked, eyebrow raised.

Relm sighed, crossing her arms. "She told you, didn't she?" she asked, gesturing to Sheila.

Navi nodded. "What gave you such an impression, anyway? And why—"

"Listen, I don't need a lecture, okay? Besides, after Sheila's performance earlier, I can't help but marvel… She actually is quite useful. She's smart for a young one. She may even be smarter than some of the castle physicians and magicians."

Sheila looked to the ground, twiddling her thumbs. "You… you really think that?"

Relm shrugged. "I'll have to admit, Sheila… I was wrong. Zelda was right all along; I shouldn't have doubted our comrades."

Sheila giggled a bit. "Hehe… That's something I've been stunned about ever since I saw her, earlier, too… Zelda was 'Sheik' all along. I just don't believe it…"

"Have you heard of the Sheikah?" Navi asked. "Sheik is simply a small adjustment from that title. The guise of 'Sheik' was first used by the current Queen a while back, though only few know about it due to certain circumstances."

Relm raised an eyebrow. "Huh…? You mean, mother…?"

"Yes," Navi's eyes turned to Relm, "Zelda used the Sheik identity to hide from Ganondorf, and to assist Link throughout his journey to save Hyrule, the first time. Impa was the one who created the identity, and she passed it on to you…"

"And I passed in on to the princess, who also, ironically, happens to be my sister," Relm added.

"Correct."

Sheila held her hand against her head. "Ouch… My brain hurts…"

Relm laughed. "You'd think that one of your intelligence could take it all in easy enough."

"Anyway, we really should be—"

"Get them!" voices called out from behind.

Navi spun around, surprised. "What?!"

A tall, dark-skinned woman with deep, red hair stood a few feet away, with two more behind. All of them held out long, thin scimitars in their hands and wore purple clothes. They stood at the center of the bridge and were looking directly at the three young girls at the other end.

Relm pulled out her daggers, staring down at the woman. "Hmph! I'm glad I found these…"

Sheila removed her bow, as well, while Navi just stood at the center. "Gerudo…? What are Gerudo doing here?" the fairy girl asked, bewildered.

The lead woman crossed her arms, the blade still in her hand. "We are here on orders of our king. All sages must die. You three are in the aide of a sage, and of our enemy, Link, the so-called 'Hero.'"

"Ganondorf…" Relm muttered. "So he IS a member of the Gerudo Tribe!"

Navi stared ahead in disbelief. "I thought the Gerudo leader was Nabooru… I thought the Gerudo hated Ganondorf!"

"Um… Is it just me," Sheila remarked, "or are their eyes glowing?"

Sure enough, the eyes of the three Gerudo woman were glowing red. Relm chuckled a bit. "Heh… That explains it… they're possessed by Ganon's power!"

The Gerudo removed their swords once more, one in each hand. Clearly they were planning on a fight. Navi figured it'd be best that they be given one.

"Back away, guys! If we're going to fight, we can't let it happen on the bridge. Sheila," she turned to the white-hair girl, "you stand a great distance away and snipe them out with your bow. Relm—"

"I know," she replied, standing firm, blades out. "I'm ready!"

Navi held her palm out in front of her, facing upwards. A small wand materialized in her hand and she grasped it firmly, swinging it back. "We can't let them beat us!"

The lead Gerudo rushed forward, signaling out a battle cry. The others followed behind. Navi stepped back and threw her left hand forward, creating a small barrier. The blade of the first crashed into it, but the magic held the sword back. The Gerudo pulled back and swung again, this time horizontally, but the fairy ducked and kicked the legs out from under the woman.

The second Gerudo ran to help her leader, but Relm jumped in front and threw her daggers up, locking the blades up to the large scimitars that were nearly three times the size of the younger one's daggers. The red-haired girl pushed forward, following swiftly with a backflip that knockled her assailant down, only for another strike to come from the third Gerudo. She leaned back and dodged it, following up by placing her hands on the ground and pushing forward with her feet, knocking the woman off of her feet.

Yells from behind startled the three girls. More Gerudo came up from the other side, down through the rocky gorge that ran alongside the waterfall. Navi backed away, startled. "Um… I don't remember that path there before…"

Relm, looked, too. Unfortunately, this proved to be her downfall. While she was distracted by the incoming Gerudo, she forgot about the ones behind her. The first jumped on her back, wrapped her arms tightly around Relm's neck. The young one was surprised by the move, for she had anticipated her throat to be cut before being choked to death.

While Relm struggled against the larger, much stronger woman, Navi was caught in the middle of a large group. Arrows came and hit one of the Gerudo's in the arm, though, and another in the side. Sheila pulled back and let another one loose; striking the right leg of the Gerudo that had jumped Relm.

All of them collapsed, wounded and bleeding, though still alive. Sheila also collapsed, falling to her knees. She looked to the ground, bewildered, and fearful. _'I can't believe I actually did that…'_

At the very least, she didn't kill them. She would never forgive herself had she killed them. However, these were actual _people_. They weren't monsters, and they weren't wild animals. They were enemies, but she couldn't help but feel depressed.

Elsewhere, with two of the incoming Gerudo down, Navi had a much easier time handling the final two that also came rushing in. The wounded ones were taken away by other Gerudo, but attackers still rushed into the fray, and the fairy was ready. She rushed forward and deflected one attack with a barrier. In her right hand, she charged a ball of energy with her wand and push the Gerudo forward, throwing the ball immediately afterwards to push back her attacker.

However, the other came swiftly and she was immediately put on the defensive, raising a large shield against the power of the tough steel Gerudo desert scimitars. Navi backed away slowly, hearing clashing steel behind her, as well. Suddenly, she stopped, feeling long hair touch her back.

Relm gritted her teeth, bringing her dagger upwards to block the blow from the scimitar. She had managed to wound one of the Gerudo woman, cutting lightly into the side of her stomach and wounding her, but it wasn't enough to stop them. They pressed on and she had to back down… and now she had no place left to go.

"Having a little trouble there?" Navi asked, removing her shield and throwing a quick spell forward. She really didn't have any attack spells; only defensive, and all these energy balls were simple mobile versions of her shields.

Relm gritted her teeth, throwing her feet up and across the Gerudo's arm, knocking away the woman's weapon. The red-haired young, but tough girl was then able to use this to give herself a temporary break. She was an accustomed fighter, but this was getting ridiculous. "Yeah, you could say that…" she finally called back.

"Relm! Navi! Sheila!" a voice echoed across the lake.

Sheila looked up, startled. "Huh?"

Relm raced to the edge of the water, up towards a small, thin piece of rock that stuck high out of the water, bridges attached to it. Zelda stood at the edge, while Gerudo and zoras fought each other behind her. "Sister!" Relm called out.

Navi ran up next to Relm. "Princess…?"

Footsteps came up from behind Relm. She was, once again, distracted by something else. A blade raised, coming down upon her. "DUCK!"

A chain shot overhead just as Relm and Navi listened to the voice, ducking down. Zelda came down above them, kicking away the Gerudo into two more. She reach the edge of the mountain side and pushed herself off, spinning back and knocking the remaining Gerudo down before finally landing on the ground, releasing hold of the claw shot she still had after taking it from Link before, which he actually didn't mind much.

The Gerudo jumped up and raced to Zelda, now, but she spun the claw shot around and let it loosen up a bit. The princess spun in a complete circle a few times, the claw on the shot closed so only the blunt part was out, striking and knocking out the Gerudo one last time.

Relm smiled and raced up to her. "You've improved," she stated once she arrived.

Zelda nodded. "Yes, yes, fine, but hurry! Link, Saria, and Mickaw are up protecting Ruto, now. We have to go help them!"

Sheila and Navi rejoined with Zelda and Relm and the four of them nodded in agreement. "Yes, of course," Navi proclaimed.

The fairy led the other three across the bridge and all the way to the laboratory. An old man peaked out briefly before closing the door and locking it as more Gerudo rushed out into the fray. They were fought back by the four girls, whom then proceeded up along the set of rope bridges that led to the island at the center of the lake.

Link stood at the far end of the second bridge, the Master Sword out in front of him. Gerudo stood in the way, while Mickaw readied his fins. Saria stood behind them both, the Kokiri Sword in her right hand with her left hand out, acting as a last barrier to Queen Ruto of the zoras and her three bodyguards.

Navi raced up to the first rock formation along the path, the one that had a grave in the center. She turned to her left just as the other three arrived behind her. "Link!"

The green-clad boy heard the voices calling to him, but he ignored them. "I order you to stand down, NOW!"

The Gerudo leader snickered. She narrowed her eyes, pulling out her scimitar behind her. "Hmph… I only answer to my King and my God!"

"You fool," Mickaw called out, "Ganondork ain't a God! Where'd ya' get that idea, huh?! I may not've been around at th' time, but I know what Ganon is. He's evil incarnate; he's the heir to the Gerudo tribe. Does that spell 'God' to you?"

The Gerudo didn't speak. Instead, she just charged forward. Link rolled his eyes. "Yeah… That worked REALLY well…"

Following up, Link raced forward and swung his left hand high into the air, clashing steel against steel. He quickly turned and kneed the Gerudo woman in the stomach and kicked her feet out from under her. She fell hard onto the bridge, and suddenly, the plank where she stood gave way, causing her to fall into the water far, far below.

Link readied his weapon for another strike, but Mickaw threw his right fin forward, hitting the first of the next group of incoming Gerudo in the face. From behind another surprise came. A swift, red figure jumped into the air and onto the shoulders of one of the Gerudo in the center. The Gerudo on bottom swung her sword up, but the figure flipped backwards and kicked the back Gerudo into the front ones, knocking the two of them down.

Saria came and followed by racing to the edge of the central island, throwing her hands forward. A gust of wind picked up and caught hold of the bridge. Link grabbed on tight while Mickaw simply jumped over and into the water. Relm, who stood at the far end of the bridge, simply backed away until she was off of it.

The entire center of the bridge was blown in by the swift forest breeze that flowed through the sky out of nowhere. Saria held her hands up high, her hands glowing a light green. Twisting, writing, the entire rope bridge caved in and all the Gerudo fell into the water. The wind then twisted back around again, though, restoring it to its correct position.

However, all was still not well. Relm, Navi, and Zelda fought off more Gerudo that tried to get to the center, with Sheila aiming from afar. Horns suddenly sounded in the distance and Hylian soldiers rode down the hill, jumped off their horses, and raced on to take out the Gerudo forces.

The four girls rejoined with Link and Saria at the center once more. Queen Ruto stood and bowed before them, before standing once more. She wore a thin, pale blue water-safe dress and a thin tiara of gold around her forehead. Mickaw stood next to her, and she eyed Link. "Alas, Link, but once again our engagement is halted. After you left I never saw you again, and of course I have since married. I never forgot the agreement we made when I gave you my stone, though. Perhaps we shall make another agreement?"

Relm and Zelda both stared in disbelief. "Engagement?!" the two of them called out together.

Sheila raised an eyebrow. "Um… engagement? What's that?"

Navi giggled a bit. "Heh… you don't want to know."

Saria just stared blankly, eyeing Link. "We're all waiting in suspense, Link!" she finally blurted out, clearly not hiding her sarcastic, sadistic tone. "Aren't you going to tell us about this thing that you NEVER BROUGHT UP BEFORE?!"

Link placed a hand on his head, groaning. "Ugh, Saria, it's not—"

Spears lowered all around them. Ruto glanced around, stunned. "What… what is the MEANING of this?!"

Across the bridge behind them, the soldiers split, leading the way for a Hylian soldier. He was tall, with short brown hair and sideburns that wrapped around to a mustache, and further down straight into a beard. He wore grand, golden armor, with a blue cape bearing the Hylian insignia. His head was bare. His ears were long and pointed, like all Hylians.

The commander stepped forward, a snicker on his face. "I'm sorry to bother you, dear queen, but I cannot allow this to go any further."

Mickaw narrowed his eyes. "Gersh, what is the MEANING of this?!"

Link turned back. "Captain… So you have arrived."

Relm quickly jumped in front of Zelda, removing her daggers. "You're NOT taking her!"

Spears lowered again, one in particular touching Relm's neck. Gersh shook his head. "Ah, the renegade… I've heard much about you. Fortunately for you, I can't just have you killed. But I can make it a very, very painful experience."

Zelda pushed Relm aside and rushed forward. "What in the WORLD is your problem, Gersh?! You've gone insane! I've never known you to be so vile. Get some sense back into your head!"

Gersh crossed his arms. "I make perfect sense, don't I? These people are on a dangerous mission and they tricked you into coming along, as well. What would happen to the kingdom if you died? Your mother the queen can't live forever, and neither can your father. It is your responsibility to your kingdom. It is their own foolishness for not sending soldiers at once to retrieve you and make sure you were safe, so I had to come on my own terms…"

"Maybe it's because she needs to learn to fend for herself," Link interjected, forcing his way through to the front to face Gersh.

Navi turned to Link and smiled, stepping up next to him. "Maybe it is because her parents knew that this was her destiny. Only by going through these trials would she know what it is like in the real world; how everything works and how to rule properly."

"She just needs a chance," Sheila added, moving in line next to Navi, now.

Relm closed her eyes and turned to the ground. Finally, she opened them again. "She is stronger than you think, captain. You make her out to be just a little royal brat. However, she has gone beyond that. She was grown and learned. You can't ever learn if you don't try. You can't ever try if you aren't given the chance."

Zelda turned away, her eyes tearing up. "Thanks, guys…"

Saria just stood and watched, unsure of what to say. Mickaw, Ruto, and her zora guards also stood by to watch what was about to transpire.

Gersh closed his eyes and turned his smile upside down. "Hm… a heart-warming gesture…" suddenly, he opened them wide, again, raising his spear high into the air. "But you can't keep me from my duties to the king!"

The captain rushed on forward, jumped into the air. Link rushed ahead and threw the Master Sword in front of him. Zelda glanced around as war broke out. The soldiers rushed in and attacked, with the zora guards and the five others defending against the assailants.

The clashing of steel, the echoes of feet across the ground, spells whispered, battle cries yelled out… All the conflicting noises pierced her ears. She wanted to scream out loud, but no words came. Zelda's eyes closed and she fell to her knees. Finally, she found one word, which she cried out as loud as she possibly could high up into the night sky. "STOP!"

Saria was stunned as she saw a spear ready to pierce into her heart… and then everything came to a halt. There was no noise, no wind, no movements whatsoever. Relm was in the middle of the air, flipping back as a sword came beneath her. Sheila was pulling back on her bow, aiming for a soldier that was about to strike Link from behind. Link himself was poised with the Master Sword clashing against Gersh's spear.

Mickaw, too, had stopped. He had just thrown both fits out wide and had already reached for his guitar, probably to try and make some noise in order to stun the soldiers. The zora warriors fought with spears against Hylian warriors. Gerudo down in the water swam back to shore; smoke from the laboratory was billowed up, unmoving.

"She removed herself completely from time," a voice stated from behind.

Saria turned around to see Navi. "What…?" the green-haired girl replied. "Then why aren't we…?!"

"Navi is a fairy, and you are a sage," another voice came back. "We are immune to the effects of such things. Only when a greater power enacts such a thing can we be affected."

Ruto stood a few feet away, also unaffected by the time stop. Saria wasn't worried about that, though. She rushed over to the other side of the island, Navi right behind her. Zelda was on the ground, her head laying across and her hair muddied from the dirt. Saria sat down next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"I just… I just want it to end…" she cried. "Why does there have to be all this hatred and contempt… Why is there all this misery…? Is this what the world is like?"

Navi smiled, nodding. "Yes… and that's why we want to put a stop to it. We have to stop the darkness from growing. It isn't only creating havoc and deadly creatures… It is creating greater contempt and hatred in the hearts of people. It happened to Lieutenant Trey, and now to Captain Gersh. If we let it consume him, we may never get him back…"

Zelda sat up, looking around. That's when she realized what had happened. She turned back to Navi, and then to Saria. "But… how?"

"You are the heir to the Sage of Time," Ruto proclaimed, stepping forward. "You have this power… You can alter the flow of time, but you must not use it at your own discretion. You have to use it the right way. Your mother, who is the Time Sage, may be able to teach you how to use your powers better, and how to use them the right way."

Zelda looked down at her fingers, closing and shutting her hands. Finally, she clasped them together. "I… I think I know what to do…"

Saria raised an eyebrow. "You're going back…?"

She smiled, nodding. "I want to learn more about this… I never knew about it until now… Maybe, I can be more helpful then. This must be what I needed to learn! Also… I want the old Gersh back. Me being out here has caused this to blind him. I can't let it destroy him. I'll go back with him."

Navi nodded. "Very well, then… but do you know how?"

Zelda had already started to walk towards Gersh, but she stopped. "I…"

"Concentrate," Navi stated. "You have to concentrate hard. Release the flow of time from your hold. Everything will return back to the way it is supposed to be."

The princess nodded back. She turned around and closed her eyes. All sense of hearing, and sight, and touch, faded… She opened her eyes to see darkness all around. She clasped her hands together, looking to the sky.

Gersh slammed his spear down into Link's sword once more, and Link raised his weapon high, poising for attack. "Wait! Stop!"

All action ceased, and all eyes turned to the young princess racing across the threshold. "Wait! Stop this madness… I'll go with you, if I must. I just can't allow this to continue."

Gersh lowered his weapon, smiled. "Very well, then."

"But—" Link started.

A hand touched his shoulder. Green hair flowing out from behind a head peaked around and looked at him. "Let her go…" Saria stated. "It is her choice."

The Gersh called back his soldiers and the fighting ceased. Relm watched, stunned, as Zelda walked behind the captain, simply smiling back at them. The red-haired girl didn't know what to say. Finally, she blurted something out. "What the hell happened just now?!"


	35. The Water Spirit

**Author's Note(s)**: Yes, yes, another one of "those" chapters. Actually, as I recall, there's a chapter a while back called "Spirit of the Winds," or something like that. Apparently I had forgotten to change it to "The Fire Spirit."

Anyway, we are now very near to the climax of this story. There's not much to talk about the previous chapter, so I shan't. The actual number I'm aiming for, as mentioned, is 40. Lots of things to consider, and lots of pieces of the puzzle to be put together. Note that not everything will be fully explained in this story, but the majority of the details related to this plot WILL be, in the last two chapters. I suspect everyone already knows the main surprise, as I've thrown a number of hints around, but whatever, we'll see how many people actually get it.

Speaking of which, I know I've got quite a few people reading this story... Probably not as many as I'd like, but meh, I'm fine with that. However, can you PLEASE post a review...? Even a "good story" would do at this point. I just want to know how many people are enjoying this as it lifts my spirits and confidennce to see a lot of people interested. And yeah, I know I don't have that many compared to other stories. It's the most I've ever gotten, though. And this is the longest story I've ever written. No, seriously! Did you know it is ALREADY up to 95,000 words? This chapter will probably put it nearly over 100, though of course some of that is commentary.

ONE LAST NOTE. As of now, I am currently WRITING "Chapter 37." Hopefully I'll finish that soon and continue on with the remaining chapters, which should be a lot of fun (not that 36 and 37 weren't, or a bunch of the earlier ones...).

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 35: The Water Spirit**_

"It was her choice to make. Do not worry, Link, for the path will still open unto you."

Ruto pulled out a small medallion, but Link already knew that it was coming. "Here," she proclaimed, "you know what to do with it. This contains my power. We will return to the Water Temple and make sure everything is secure."

Link nodded, taking the medallion in his hand and placing it in his pocket. "Thank you," he stated.

The zora queen smiled. "Heh, I apologize for the unruly encounter, but nonetheless, you now have one single objective left. You must not fail."

The green-clad hero turned back to the other four who stood behind him, and then back to Ruto, Mickaw, and the three zora warriors. "We will not fail. The Sorceress and Ganondorf, too, will be stopped."

Ruto backed away, smiled. The three zoras jumped into the water, and Ruto turned around and followed them. Mickaw gave Link a thumbs up, smiling. "Hah, go get 'em, dude! I'd totally come with you, but right now, we've got to secure the temple. Cya, man!"

The admittedly rather immature zora king followed Ruto into the water, as well, and they all dived down to the depths and out of sight.

Link turned back to his companions, eying Relm first, then Navi, then Sheila, and finally, Saria. "Well, guys, this is the final stretch. Are you ready? We make for the desert at once."

Relm crossed her arms. "What of the barrier, though? How do we get passed it… What was it that old ent told you?"

Navi narrowed her eyes, turning to Relm. "He's called the Great Deku Tree, and he is the mighty spirit of the Earth. The Great Deku Tree said that the three oracles of the Godesses are required to break the barriers…"

"But only after they are awakened!" Sheila called out, interjecting. "The oracles cannot awaken when already inflicted with a magical curse, though, and, quite frankly…" she wagged her still-persistent tail a bit, "I'm not in the best shape right now… even though I still don't get the whole oracle thing. It's all so new to me."

Saria nodded her head, smiling. "Yes, it's… It's all new to each of us. The Great Deku Tree said, though, that the three pearls of the Goddesses can strip away curses. Unfortunately, we still don't know where the third is…"

Link sighed, pulling out the first two pearls. "Only Saria was with me when I received the first one. That came from Valoo, the Fire Spirit. The second, of course, came from the Great Deku Tree. I suspect that the third is from the Water Spirit, but I have not—"

The ground suddenly quaked underneath their feat. An enormous wave of water rush up from the depths of the lake, between the mountains to the northwest and the island they all now stood. Each of them were soaked wet, but it merely just dampened their clothes once more after they fell over the side of the waterfall.

Link instantly recognized the creature before his eyes when it appeared from the wave. "Lord Jabu Jabu!"

The great fish, Jabu, shook himself in the water. **"Indeed it is I, Link, but you shall refer to me by my true name, Jabun, the Spirit of Water. I was unable to appear to you until the temple was secured and restored by the water sage."**

"Jabun," Saria commented, stepping forward, "you are the final Spirit? You have the item we need?"

Jabun nodded his head. **"Indeed it is so. Ganondorf's forces have fled back to the desert, but they are amassing, readying to strike out again. They intended on killing the sage and defiling the holy temple. In truth, though, they have been manipulated by Ganondorf's dark magic, betraying their leader, the spirit sage, Nabooru. You must go rescue Nabooru and stop Ganondorf before the world is covered in shadow…"**

Relm lowered her head, closing her eyes. Finally, she opened them again and stared up at the mighty fish. "Sir, spirit… whatever I may call you… Someone came to Zelda and myself in the forest while Link and everyone else were meeting with the Great Deku Tree. What did he mean by his statement? Do you know?"

Link turned to her, surprised. "You never told us this…"

Relm ignored him, focusing on the question. "Sir…? Do you know?"

"**Mmm… He is another spirit, but also a trickster. However, he always speaks the truth."**

Link glanced around, clearly frustrated about something. Saria turned to him. "Link…? Is something wrong…?"

The legendary hero of time stood there, bewildered. "What did he say? What did he look like?"

Relm shrugged. "He was a very strange man, with a bag holding tons of masks. As for what he said… I don't know. I'd rather not bring it up. Let's just get this whole thing over with."

Navi sighed. _'If Sheila isn't it… then who is it? Could she truly be manipulated in the background? Maybe it's even Relm… How could any of us be behind this thing, though? It's just not possible… It's got to be referring to Saria, because she's the one who released it. She clearly doesn't have anything more to do with it… or perhaps… Zelda?'_

She didn't want to think about it. Nothing made sense. For all she knew, the Sorceress was secretly manipulating her! The only obvious exception was Link. Otherwise, it could be anyone.

Link shook his head. "Very well, then," he finally replied. "I won't bother you with it any longer." _'It definitely sounds like the Mask Salesman, though… He always pops up when ya' don't need him…'_

"**Brrahh…"** Jabun groaned. **"Friends, it is time. Take the jewel, and save Hyrule. Everyone of this land is counting on you."**

Link stepped forward as Jabun shook his body. The jewel flew out from one of the fish's great scales and hovered over Link. The hero grabbed it and put it with the others. In a sudden flash of light, Jabun was gone.

"That was fast," Sheila remarked.

"Now to take care of one last thing," Link called out, turned to the white-haired girl.

Everyone backed away from her, and she was surprised. "Wait, what…?! Already? Do you even know how to work it?"

Link laughed. "It's magic," he began, lifting the three pearls into the air. They lifted up and flew around Sheila, hovering over her. "It works on its own…"

Sheila was stunned as white lights enveloped her body. She didn't feel anything, but she knew something happened. Just as quick as it started, it was over. "Woah…" she muttered.

Relm walked up behind her, glancing down. "Hmm… It's gone." She continued and rubbed her hand through Sheila's hair, getting a death glare in return, but it was quickly replaced with a smile.

"Is it really…?" Sheila stated. "That whole thing was weirding me out…"

Navi laughed. "Come on, girl, check your feet, too! Yes, I heard they were changed, as well. I couldn't see it, but I did notice something weird about your sandals before. How'd you strap that thing down, anyway?"

Sheila laughed, jumping in the air. "Yes! I'm finally not a freak anymore!"

"Hey," Link shot back, "some might take offense to that. Look at the Gorons, or the Zoras. They don't look human, but they still having human personality and intelligence."

Relm looked to the ground, snickering. "Gorons are intelligent…?" she muttered softly.

A hand brushed past the red one's shoulder and she heard another soft voice reply. "I heard that…" Navi whispered, giggling.

Saria closed her eyes, nodding. _"Mmm… It's almost over… I can finally end this whole thing once and for all…"_

Link turned to her, curiously. "Saria…? Something up?"

She glanced up, surprised. "Huh, what?!"

The boy raised an eyebrow, curiously. "Something's on your mind…"

She sighed. "Yes, I know… I'm sorry… I just want to end this… I started it, and I'm going to finish it."

Link walked in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders, staring into her eyes. "Saria, don't feel bad about it. It was an accident; you didn't know. Come on; let's go. We'll finish this… together."

Saria eyed him, a smile crossing her face. "Together…?"

He nodded. "Yes."

Relm laughed out. "Hah! Just kiss and make up already!"

Link blushed, backing away. Saria did the same. "Uh, please… shut up…" he muttered.

Sheila ran up to Link, laughing out. "Come on! We have to go, now! Hurry!"

_Strangely, all time stopped, just for a moment, in Link's eyes. Sheila was now gone, and in her place, a bright green figure, invisible from all the lights swirling around her. Link knew who and what it was, though. "Yes, Link… The final battle has come… Go with all your strength, but beware the traitor…"_

Everything spun back into focus again. Link pulled Sheila's hands, sighing. "Fine, fine, let's go, just don't force me like that…"

He closed his eyes and stopped for a moment. Finally, he continued on, and the five of them continued up the northern pass.

_**XXXXX**_

An enormous, glowing, orange barrier encased the entire path, and went even beyond, sealing anything that may attempt to pass out from its depths. Five companions, on foot, raced down to it, standing at the base. Link and Saria stood in front, with Sheila, Relm, and Navi in back.

"So, how does this whole thing work?" Relm asked, turning to Link.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I really don't know." Link turned back so he could see both Sheila and Relm. "You two, try standing in front of it."

Sheila raised an eyebrow. "Wait… How do you know I have 'awakened'—"

"You have. Just go."

The white-haired girl sighed and just moved over to the front of the line. Relm walked up beside her. "You know," the red-haired one remarked, "I still don't fully trust you."

Sheila groaned. "I don't need this right—"

Relm snickered. "Hmph… don't give me that. I trust you a lot more, now. Your past with Ingo is still questionable, but… You're already, kid."

Sheila opened her eyes wide. "Huh? But you're only—"

The elder clasped her face across the mouth of the younger. "You DON'T need to bring it up!"

Link stepped forward, laughing a bit. "Heh… enough already, you two. Let's just see if this will work." He raised his hand up, the three gems within glowing bright. They flew up into the air and in front of the barrier.

Relm was surprised. Suddenly, she knew exactly what she had to do. She cupped her hands together and put them in front of herself, allowing the red jewel of Din to rest in her hands. Sheila had the same situation. Finally, Nayru's Sapphire came down next to Sheila on her right. Relm looked, and strangely, she saw a silhouette of Zelda!

Zelda turned to the two, smiling, and finally, lifted the gem in her hands. Relm and Sheila did the same, willingly, but almost… forcefully. Something was telling them exactly what they needed to do, and they did it, not even against their own will.

The three jewels glowed brightly, encasing the three figures. Link, Saria, and Navi stood back, watching in astonishment. The sky grew dark, and a flash of lightning roared, splitting the sky. Suddenly, Relm, Sheila, and Zelda were all gone.

Link narrowed his eyes, nodding his head. "Din, Farore, and Nayru… the three Goddesses…"

"This is amazing," Navi proclaimed. "I've known all along about the Goddesses, but I've never seen them myself."

Saria nodded in unison. "Yes, the same for me…"

The hero of time, though, was not fazed. "I have… I saw the three Goddesses when I first arrived back in this world. I also saw each of them individually, in the eyes of Zelda, Relm, and Sheila. For Zelda, I saw hers at Hyrule Castle, before I left for Death Mountain. Relm's I saw on the way back to Hyrule Castle from the Sheikah Village, and lastly, Sheila, just before we left Lake Hylia."

The Goddesses raised their hands up and the jewels shot forth, slamming repeatedly across the barrier. It cracked all the way up, and finally shattered to smithereens. In an instant, they were gone. Relm and Sheila lay on the ground, unconscious.

The others ran up to them and Link knelt down by Relm's side, shaking her a little. Navi did the same for Sheila.

"Hey, you alright?" Link asked.

Relm groaned, pulling her head back. "Ugh… What?"

Saria sat down behind her. "You did it," she exclaimed, "the shield has been destroyed!"

Her eyes suddenly shot open. "Oh, yes!" Relm called out. "It was… a very strange experience."

Link looked out into the distance, sighing. Mountains blocked the path, with the heat of the desert flowing down from it. "Mmm… This is it, guys. You ready?"

Sheila pulled herself up and stood to her feet, along with Navi. Everyone else did the same. "Looks like everything's in order," Navi called back.

The hero nodded. "Yes… Finally, we're ready."

Saria smiled, racing up behind them. "Yes… its time…"

As they all left and disappeared into the trail of the mountain pass, a silhouette appeared where they once stood. The face snickered wildy, laughing out. "Hehehe… Yes… It is… It is time… Time for me to take what is mine…"

The voice echoed out again, laughing wildly in a loud, deep, feminine tone, as the winds carried off what remained.


	36. Sands of Death

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 36: Sands of Death**_

The cries of crows in the distance were barely audible over the bleak, dense maelstrom of sand and dust that blew up around the five companions. Hoarse winds tried to force them back, but they would not give in.

"Dang, I wonder how much further it is?!" Relm called out, shielding her eyes with her hands.

Navi pushed passed a bit, and the red-haired one looked over to her. "You cheatscape!" Relm yelled out through the storm.

The fairy glanced over and laughed. "Well, I guess I have the advantage in this storm!"

Link wasn't really all that amused, but it was funny hearing the exchange. He glanced back and noticed exactly what Relm was calling Navi out on. As it turns out, the fairy was using her barrier spell to keep herself out of the twisting sands. Suddenly, though, a huge gust of wind blew past and she couldn't hold it back any longer.

With the barrier catching most of the wind, Navi found herself being pushed back quite a ways. She gasped when feeling her back foot hit a cliffside. She immediately dropped the barrier and covered her face with her arms, but she didn't have time to avoid falling off the edge of the mountain.

Sand flew up into the air as a figure skidded along on the dusty stone. Sheila grabbed hold of Navi's arm and pulled her back up. Fairies can fly, true, but Navi knew it would've been far worse trying that, so she didn't bother switching to fairy form. Instead, she accepted the help and moved on, covering her eyes with her arms like everyone else was.

Soon they came to a ridge with large rock formations on either side, which blocked out most of the howling air currents flushing along the side of the mountains. A light, cool breeze shifted through the pass. The stone walls above made this area seem almost like an oasis in the middle of a hot desert.

"Well, that proved interesting for the first stretch," Link remarked. "It looks like it is all downhill from here, though, so I suspect that the bridge leading up to the fortress shouldn't be much further ahead."

Relm laughed. "Of course, things aren't exactly the same as when you were last here, so it could be quite a bit different. I've never been THIS far, though… I have visited much of Hyrule, but this is entirely new. My Master felt that it was too dangerous for even me to go here."

"I suspect," Navi remarked, "that you are strong enough now to handle the desert, Relm. You're stronger than any of us, except for Link, of course."

The red-haired girl smiled, turning to face Link. "And we'll see about _that_," she added.

Sheila shook the sand off of her. "Ugh… Well, whatever the case, I certainly hope we get out of here soon… I don't like all this sand…"

Saria nodded, closing her eyes for a bit before opening them again. "It isn't much longer. We should hurry on ahead."

Link shrugged his shoulders, but then moved toward the exit. "Yes, she's right. We still need to find Nabooru and learn where Ganondorf is hiding. Let's move on."

Relm, Sheila, and Navi followed quickly behind Link and Saria. They forced themselves back out into the storms, and finally arriving at the bridge across a great gorge. Far beneath them was a long river proceeding along south to Lake Hylia. However, it barely covered the bottom of the gorge. Clearly most of it had dried up.

Across the bridge, the mountain walls narrowed again. After walking some more, they came to a corner that dead ended into a large complex above them. An entrance was in the wall, and it took the strength of both Link and Relm to move the boulder out of the way.

Navi's hands glowed and she shot her light beam throughout the chamber. "Wow… Is this the Gerudo Fortress?" she called out.

The fortress spanned throughout the mountains, forming a huge labyrinth of rock and stone. Within was a long series of twisting corridors and labyrinths; a giant desert maze.

The five of them rushed inside and turned right at the first fork, a few dozen feet in. They arrived in a large chamber a short while later, but simply continued on to the left some more, turning at the first fork, and then right two more forks down. The cries of Gerudo guards could be heard echoing throughout the dungeon, but Link simply ignored them. Of course, that is until they walked right into a chamber full of them.

The Gerudo warriors swung out their blades and raced up the stairs to meet the five companions. Link removed his Master Sword and immediately locked blades with one of the Gerudo, surprising her and slicing across her legs, causing her to fall back onto the ground.

Relm joined in, as well, racing to the other side with her daggers. She spun around and took out one of the incoming Gerudo, whom dropped her weapon on the ground. Getting an idea, Relm put away her daggers and grabbed the long scimitar, using it against the others who approached.

As more Gerudo raced to the stairs, Sheila stood and sniped a few down before they could reach Link and Relm. Some others also came from behind, but Saria pulled out the Kokiri Sword and fought to the best of her ability, assisted by Navi.

Soon, no more came, while the ones present were simply the ones that died or were unconscious due to blood loss. The rest escaped. The five continued on again, but Relm stayed back a bit.

The red-haired girl liked the use of the scimitar, so she found two of the blades that were undamaged and took them with. Pilfering the dead Gerudo, she found a few more things, as well. First, she uncovered a sheath that she used to hold the blades. Her hair was starting to get in the way, too, so she found a hairband worn by one of the Gerudo, still in good shape, and pulled her hair up through it into a ponytail. After looking herself over in a mirror and admiring the change, she raced on ahead to catch up with the others.

"Hmm… Nice change," Link remarked when she arrived.

Sheila looked Relm over, eying her. "Um… Are you sure that's sanitary? You don't know where these women have been…"

Relm laughed. "Hmm… Well, I couldn't run around like that if I was going to use these blades. I didn't want it to pull on my hair, so I put it up. I don't really think we're in the best shape, anyway. We've already been out for days without proper time for grooming. It's not like we're on vacation or anything, either. When this is over, I'll have a lot more time to clean myself thoroughly."

Link nodded. "Very well, then… but I must say, you look nice. Regardless, we've still got a long ways left to go."

The red-haired girl lowered and raised her head, nodding. "Yes, of course."

They continued on and raced through more corridors, fighting off any Gerudo that came by. After more running along the passages, they arrived in a great, vast, long open chamber. There were two floors, and on each floor was a series of cells on either side of the room, all the way down.

"Woah…" Sheila called out. "This place is… huge!"

Navi stepped forward, looking around. "Hmm… It seems so. I don't know why they'd need so many, but doesn't this seem like where they might put Nabooru?"

The hero of time nodded. "Indeed so. Nabooru must be in here, unless she's already been killed. We have to hurry and find her."

Saria looked all around, stunned by the numerous sets of bars amidst the stone that formed the Gerudo Prison. She quickly followed behind everyone else as they searched every cell for the possible signs of the former Gerudo leader and sage of spirits. However, she felt something… strange… an unearthly presence was about. She could feel it, but… where…

The forest sage spun around as a great cry echoed out from the ground. Out of the depths, the stone earth cracked and sand poured out. A large creature of death, bearing a scythe in its hand, appeared at the core. Saria stepped back and screamed out.

Link spun around and raced over. "A Lich!" he yelled out.

"A what?!" Sheila asked.

Navi ran up passed her, calling out. "A lich is an undead being of immense power! First it starts off as a mere poe; a restless spirit of one who has died. However, if its spirit is not put to rest, it may grow in hatred and malice for the living! If that happens, it becomes even more powerful, imbued with deep, dark magic!"

Relm snickered, removing her new blades. "Hmmm… Looks like I finally get to have some fun with these babies… I have at last found a worthy opponent!"

The demon of the underworld raised its hands up into the air and cried out another scream. Boney hands, some with rotting flesh left on them, stuck up through the stone flooring. Sands spread across the room, now, and many more undead creatures came up from the depths.

Link did not wish to worry about these creatures, though. He ran straight for the lich, raising his sword high, sounding out his own battle cry. However, once he jumped into the air and swung his blade, the lich disappeared. Its shadow shot down to the end of the long chamber, more and more undead minions crawling out from the ground.

The green-clad boy lowered his head, sighing. "Great… Make things difficult on me…"

Relm swung her right hand off to her left, slicing through hard bone with ease and cutting off the middle of a skeleton warrior. She retaliated with her left blade, swinging up in a wide arc around the upper portion of the bone structure as it still fell, allowing it to collapse down into the ground in a heap of dark blue goo.

More skeletons crawled out of the ground along the edge of the chamber, near a few cells. Relm kicked back and followed by spinning her two blades around her in a complete three-sixty, destroying a few more of the undead minions before choosing to run up along the right side of the chamber to face a few more.

Link's Master Sword proved to be the strongest method of attack against the demons of the underworld. The holy blade instantly disintegrated any undead creature it even approached, forcing most of them to wish to stay away from him. That didn't mean all did, though… Some tried to sneak up on him from behind, much to his surprise, and not so much to his surprise. The only surprise was the strange feeling of having a boney hand touching your shoulder.

Navi closed her eyes, standing in the center of the chamber, and spread her arms out wide. She looked to the ceiling, eyes still closed, and spoke out in a soft, gentle voice. "Light from the heavens, send thy healing rain upon the earth!"

A bright white cloud appeared overhead and small drops filled with swirling colors of the rainbow fell down upon the ground around them. This was not a wet, damp kind of rain, but instead it was holy, life-restoring water. The clouds only gathered around in a small radius of where Navi stood, though, causing all the undead to shrivel up and collapse to the ground, melting into the blue mist again, including the one that was trying to get to Link.

Saria rushed forward, only to be pushed back by more of the undead. She turned around to try and get around them, but others crawled up from the ground, closing in on her. She turned to her left one final time, but got the expected result. A stalfos bared its teeth at her, shrieking out in a loud voice.

The forest sage backed away slightly, but wasn't fazed much by the increasing odds. Instead, she closed her eyes and stood as the demons rushed in after her. The dust of the ground swirled together, though, piling on top of each other and hardening into solid stone. Stone spikes shot up from the ground and destroyed the underworld monsters that had approached.

Relm, on the other hand, ran up to the wall and grabbed hold of the bars, using them as leverage while she rushed alongside and slashed across the series of gibdos and stalfos that had appeared. The wrappings on one of the mummy-like gibdos began to unravel, revealing a hollow corpse of flesh and bone.

The red-haired girl was struck with a sense of pure horror, but wasted no time reacting to the deathly gaze. Instead, she pushed herself off from the wall and launched into the air, raising the scimitar high above her head. She struck down hard upon the monster, cutting straight down through the creature as it followed up and melted into oblivion, bandages and all.

Relm turned off to the right and saw Sheila struggling to wrench her bow free from a stalchid that had snuck up on her. However, the young girl succeeded well in escaping its grasp by kicking it away, followed by an arrow to the skull, causing it to fall to its knees.

As Sheila continued sniping stalfos from afar, Relm immediately ran on ahead passed the first column of six and started to swing rapidly, raising her right hand and slicing with that scimitar, and following with the other. She repeated this frequently, spinning and slashing with each weapon consecutively, striking down nearly a dozen of them. She suddenly heard a sound from behind and spun back to strike, but stopped instantly.

A ghastly screamed cried out from the terrifying, hideous face of a half-flesh, half-bone walking zombie. Relm gasped, terror filling her eyes and she dropped her weapons to the ground, collapsed to her knees, trying to block out the screams. The ReDead slowly approached her as she struggled to reach her hand toward her blade, but her eyes kept shifting back to the rotting, living, walking corpse before her.

Link was stunned by the sudden scream he heard echoing across the chamber. However, it wasn't so much the scream that startled him. It was the voice. "Relm?!"

As the undead sprouted up, the Shadow Lich simply waved its hands and more appeared, crawling up out of the ground. Link raced on ahead, slicing through the undead, trying to reach the spot where Relm was. Sheila made her ways forward, shooting her bow even at close range to push back the stalfos and stalchids that approached. She even shot down a poe that had tried to wave out its lantern and throw fire down upon her.

Navi and Saria, on the other hand, weren't so lucky. Saria swung out the Kokiri Sword and held it between her two hands, her back to Navi as swarms of stalchids rushed in after them. Navi simply materialized a long magic staff with her powers, using it to fight, crushing bones beneath it, and stomping at whatever creatures slipped past.

Of course, Saria swung mightily with her sword, which had also been strengthened by Link during the time he was gone, making it even more formidable in cutting down the undead. She swung left, and then proceeded to swing right again, slashing away. She then raised her left hand and whispered a few unintelligible words before casting it forward. Spiky, wiggling, gigantic thorn plants shot from the ground in a line in front of her, before disappearing again.

Elsewhere, Relm slowly backed away, palms on the ground behind her as she tried to her best to escape from the ReDead. Finally she rolled over and stood up, forcing herself into a run, but three sharp bones struck her shoulder, causing large loss of blood and forcing her down to the ground. She kneeled down in the sand, her left hand sinking slightly as she held her shoulder with her right hand. She bit her lip, trying her best not to scream again.

Link ran up ahead, but a long chain of stalchids ran up to him, overwhelming him. He swung repeatedly to cut them back, yet they just kept on crawling out of the sand and racing to him again. A Gerudo spear was leaned up against the central pillar, so he grabbed it and tossed it directly into the midst of the stalchids, striking out a dozen or so all in one shot.

Relm's body began to vibrate rapidly as she felt the wound on her shoulder crust over. She was afraid to know what that meant. She glanced back over her shoulder and suddenly dropped to the ground again, rolling over as a skeletal hand struck the sand. The zombie eyed her, again, moving toward her…

Instantly, an arrow struck directly into the head of the demon. Relm turned and saw Sheila waving out toward her. The archer pulled another arrow and shot it, as well, a gooey yellow substance spraying out the opposing end where the arrow came in. The ReDead cried out and collapsed into the ground, laying there for a few minutes. Finally, it melted just like the other creatures.

Navi and Saria finally managed to break free and rushed out to help Relm. Link motioned on ahead, glancing at Sheila, and the white-haired girl nodded back. She ran passed Relm and launched a few arrows to the end of the chamber. Saria helped a bit, too, but jumping back to her feet and striking out with her sword while Navi tended to Relm alone.

Link raced down through the room and cut away everything that passed before him, all the way to the inevitable lich that masquerading this entire affair.

Sheila and Saria arrived at the front just as Link did on the opposing side, the Shadow Lich hovering above the ground just in front of them. The creature cried out a loud screech, a torrent of heavy turbulence brushing past from its mouth, forcing the three in front of it to cover their faces with their arms, waiting for the cries to stop.

Shortly after, the lich halted its voice and raised its arms high. A vortex in the sand beneath slowly formed and more undead creatures crawled out from the depths.

Link swiftly spun in a wide circle and watch as his blade cut down a stalfos warrior that had threatened him from behind. He turned back and dashed forward, ducking beneath a sword swipe of another stalfos and twisting his arm up, jumping high into the air, cutting through the hard bones as they disintegrated from the holy power.

As Saria bore merely the Kokiri Sword, and not the blade of evil's bane, she had a harder time with her foes. However, her magic, along with Sheila's bow, assisted greatly. The young Kokiri and sage slashed vertically and chopped down a leg of a stalfos, while meanwhile an arrow struck a gibdo that was slowly approaching Saria from behind. This alerted her of its presence and the forest sage rolled under the now one-legged stalfos and stuck her hands into the dirt, raising her feet back hard and slamming it backwards, causing it to crash into the gibdo and both to disappear into mists.

The cries of another deadly creature coursed through her ears. Saria immediately pushed herself to her feet and closed her eyes, remembering what happened to both Relm and herself before, though Relm was worse off because she had ran out on her own instead of waiting for assistance.

Sheila fell to her knees, shivering wildly. She was stunned; unable to move, for fear had entered into her soul. _'Is this… what Relm felt…?'_ she asked herself, unable to tear her eyes away from the gruesome image of the ReDead that had appeared in front of her.

Whispers echoed loud enough that they could be heard, but not enough so the words were understandable. Link tore through the undead creatures, forcing his way closer and closer to the lich that hovered above the whirlpool of sand. Navi held her hand over Relm's shoulder, watching as the venom spread down her arm, life magic flowing into its depths to halt the spread as much as possible. Sheila cowered in fear at the face of the undead zombie that moaned out, approaching her ever so slowly.

"NOT AGAIN!" Saria cried out, suddenly opening her eyes and spinning dead right, both hands thrown up high.

The sands tore up from the ground, spinning in a wide circle catching many of the numerous skeletal stalchids and stalfos, mummified gibdos, and ghastly poes, dragging them at the sands in a whirling tornado directly into the ReDead, catching it, as well, and crashing them all into the walls, bones, flesh, and spirits disappearing into the dark mist.

Link struck up wildly at the lich, slashing his blade just as the ghost raised its long scythe in front of itself to block the holy blade from striking. The hero was crafty, though, and he ducked beneath it and got a few slashes up at the creature's essence. However, it was stronger than the others, and while severely damaged by the blade, it did not cause instant death.

The two exchanged blows for a while as Sheila ran over to Saria, who lay on the ground, unconscious. Link had noticed, and was distracted slightly by seeing her fallen. "Saria?!"

"Link, no!" Sheila cried out, raising her bow and launching up.

The lich cried, again, the arrow sticking out from its skull. Link narrowed his eyes, knowing that he could not change his focus for one second. Had Sheila not fired and alerted him, he would've been stabbed by the reaper's scythe. He pressed on, pushing it back by the north wall, which was to the right of where they entered. Unfortunately, his luck ended.

Link jumped forward, but the creature vanished. His sword slammed into the sand, and it just would not let go. He struggled, but the sand pulled him down deeper and deeper. He grimaced. "Damnit, what now?!"

A cry from behind him made him regret those words. "Oh, and now it's right behind me! Perfect!"

The green-clad boy glanced back as the lich charged forward, raising its scythe high. It did not get a chance to lower it. Suddenly, a battle cry came from a nearby hall. Link turned back and saw a door a few feet to the left of him, and a figure in deep blue armor and a yellow cape, carrying a Gerudo Spear, rushed out and imbedded the end into the center of the lich.

The undead minion writhed and wriggled, but the soldier wouldn't let go, holding on tightly as he was spun arrow. An arrow to the head sealed it. The lich turned to the ceiling and cried out one final time, before finally it vanished into oblivion.

Sheila ran up to Link, as did the soldier. With the lich gone, all the remaining undead vanished, and the sand settled, allowing Link and the Master Sword to easily be pulled up and out.

"Captain?!" Link called back, bewildered.

Baask nodded, and sighed. "Yes, yes, you're wondering how I got here. Unfortunately, while we were able to finish off those undead creatures, we were then ambushed by Gerudo. Half my men were able to escape, and the other half were either killed by the undead, many of those becoming undead themselves, and the others were killed by Gerudo. I wasn't killed, though; I was simply captured."

Link lowered his head. "I'm sorry…"

He smiled. "Don't worry about it, kid. At least I was able to help you. By the way… where are the others?"

Saria finally pulled herself off of the ground, dazed. "Ugh… Huh?" She turned and saw Link, Baask, and Sheila approach.

"Saria is right here, and Navi and Relm are back down there," Link pointed. "Relm was wounded and Navi is tending to her."

Baask raised an eyebrow. "By undead?!"

Link nodded. "Yes, but—"

The captain narrowed his eyes. "What was it? Anything but—"

"A ReDead."

Baask backed away, his face pale. "That's exactly what I hoped you were _NOT_ going to say… The ReDead has a special venom that will slowly transform one that is inflicted by it into a zombie, as well. There's no stopping it! What of Zelda, where is she?! I MUST know!"

Link shook his head. "She didn't want the same fate as Lieutenant Trey to befall Gersh, so she returned to the castle with him."

Baask gave off a sigh of relief. "I was afraid you were going to say that she has fallen… Well, while I don't agree with Gersh's opinion, I admire her courtesy. It probably was better that way."

"There's still something I don't get, though…" Sheila commented. "If you were captured, how—"

"Ah, yes, that's something else," Baask remarked. "She should be here any minute now…"

A tall, dark-skinned woman with long, red hair entered into the chamber. "Nabooru!"

"Where is Relm?" she stated immediately.

Saria stepped into their midst, looking up at the woman. "You are a sage," she stated.

"Yes, and Relm will not last long without my help. Your fairy friend has helped to slow the spread of the venom, but even that will not save her. I as spirit sage may guide the spirits of life, and of death. These spirits of death you have seen are the work of the Dark Lord, our cursed king, Ganondorf, overthrowing my power. I will tend to Relm and meet you at the Spirit Temple. Captain Baask shall accompany you."

Link nodded. "Very well, then. What about Navi?"

"I'll send her on to meet you shortly," Nabooru proclaimed. "Just go, now!"

The green clad hero pulled out his sword again, nodding his head. "Right."

Nabooru ran off and Link, Saria, Baask, and Sheila left the chamber, racing out through along the corridors further, where Navi caught up to them. Finally, the five reached the edge of the fortress and found the gateway that led out into the desert wastelands. That's when the spirits appeared to guide them through to the desert colossus, and to the Spirit Temple, where Ganondorf has made his throne.

_**XXXXX**_

The wind howled overhead as the five travelers raced into the valley surrounded by mountains on all sides. Crafted into the side of the hard stone stood a tall palace, depicting a large woman holding her hands out before her, looking down at those who marched ever closer.

Link led the way up to the large arch that stood about one hundred feet away from the temple stairs. Everyone looked up in stunned amazement at the craftwork, all except Link and Navi, that is.

"It's just as I remember it," Link remarked. "Beyond the ocean of sand, beneath the mountains above, the final of the seven temples of Hyrule rests. Her voice calls out across the land, commanding the dead to enter into her chambers, where they may finally know rest."

Saria clenched her fist, looking up at the structure. "I have heard much about the temples, but I have only ever seen one, the Forest Temple… this is the second one I shall see, and it is surely the most glorious and beautiful of all those that stand in these lands."

Baask narrowed his eyes. "Ai, but what of the Temple of Light, that lies in Sacred Realm?" he proclaimed, turn back to face the green-haired girl. "Of course, that does not stand in these lands of Hyrule, but surely it is truly the most glamorous. If only I should set my eyes upon it, just once…"

Navi sighed, stepping forward. "Focus on the present. Ganondorf is behind those walls, defiling the sacred temple. He must be stopped, NOW!"

Sheila ran up next to her, turning back to the others. "Navi is right… We don't have time to enjoy the scenery! That bad man is going to set out to conquer Hyrule, and perhaps even the whole world…"

"Indeed so," Link stepped in. "Let's move on."

The hero of time led the way, and the others followed behind, racing along the final stretch to the stairwell of the Spirit Temple. "WAIT!" a voice suddenly cried out from behind.

All five turned back. Sheila was the first to dart back down the steps. "Relm?!"

It was indeed Relm. She ran swiftly across the sands, a pair of Gerudo swords on her back. Her left arm fell limp beside her, but her right she used to keep balance. Out of breath, she at last stopped in front of Sheila, the others coming down behind.

Finally, Relm smiled. "Heh… You weren't going to leave me out of all the fun, were you? I have a score to settle with this dark lord."

Link laughed, running around the others. "Great to see you back, Relm," he called out.

Saria came along the other side, looking down at the wrapped and bandaged arm. "Um… what happened?" she asked.

Relm moved her arm slightly, lowering her head. "You don't want to know. It's fine like that for now. I can't use it for a while, but it should heal easily enough… but the deformities, Nabooru says, shall never heal."

"Deformities?" Sheila asked.

Baask crossed his arms. "I told you about the venom, did I not? It happened to some of my men, so I know what it looks like. It's… not to pretty. At least it only got your arm, Relm. It could've been a lot worse."

The red-haired girl nodded back, swiping out one of the scimitars with her right hand, her free hand. "Exactly!" she proclaimed, following up by slamming the sword into the sand hard, blade first. She closed her eyes, lowering her head. "And that is why Ganondorf must pay… He has caused an imbalance in the temples of Hyrule, calling demons from the depths of the Earth, killing innocent lives, and scorning others in shame… I must protect my honor, and that is why I could not bare to stand back and watch as all my friends went to battle and I did not."

"I'm not going to stop you," Link replied, "but please do be careful. As you now realize, you are not invincible. We have to work together; we can't do it on our own. Ganondorf is crafty, and he'll use his every whim to try and foil us. We cannot let it stop us from defeating him, and restoring order."

Relm nodded. "Indeed."

Rumbling echoed in the sky. Rain poured down hard, and lightning flashed. Everyone was startled by this sudden event. "That is the sign," Navi remarked, still standing at the top of the stairs, looking to the sky. "So it begins… the dark lord knows we are here; he sends his forces!"

Lightning crashed into the ground, like what happened before, and more demons of the underworld sprouted up, surrounding them. Link, Saria, Relm, Sheila, and Baask were all pushed back up the stairs, having barely enough time to remove their weapons before the swarms were upon them.

Suddenly, Nabooru raced up from the desert, raising her hands high above her head. The spirits dissipated as she approached, but more kept coming as she sent them away. "Flee into the temple! I shall take care of these! Go straight for Ganondorf, now!"

The six nodded and turned back into the temple. However, Link held back briefly and spun around as the sage called up to him, flinging a small object through the air.

Link caught it and stared down at it. "The Spirit Medallion…" he muttered to himself.

Suddenly, Nabooru raised another hand and a door came out from the ceiling and slammed to the ground in front of Link, sealing the temple and locking the undead out… and the six companions in.

"You must not fail," the spirit sage whispered, turning back to take on the monsters before her.

* * *

**Author's Note(s)**: Little late, but I got it up. Christmas and all that. Speaking of which, stay tuned for Chapter 37 which should be up shortly after this. Yes, I'm updating twice for a duo of chapters. The next one will probably be up late next week or perhaps over the weekend while I'm in Minnesota with my girlfriend. :D (My mom's big Christmas present to me is taking me to see my GF in northern Minnesota... 3 I live in Southern Wisconsin.)

Okay, some notes. For the name of this chapter, I much preferred "Spirits of the Sand," but I didn't want to use the term "spirit" so often. Also, there was originally a scene at the beginning of this chapter showcasing Baask being thrown into a cell with Nabooru and Nabooru offering to help him, but I dropped that and instead moved the first scene of the next chapter into this one due to how long the next chapter is.

Nabooru's connection with Baask will be explained at a later time. But yes, he is considered a major character, and will appear frequently in the future (there are only a few chapters left of this story, but two sequels are planned). Baask isn't one of the main six, but he's probably the seventh most important character. My original plans for Baask were to have him meet up with Link and his companions at the entrance to the Gerudo Desert, but that didn't work out well.

For Relm, I didn't want to make her seem so Mary sue-ish, being a fan-character and all, and I also wanted to add in more character development. Relm's rash actions in this chapter give her a permanent scar, and she feels that she isn't strong enough even on her own so she strives harder in the future. The events of this chapter also give her a slightly altered appearance. Initially her hand is covered by wrappings, but she later replaces it with something else.

On another note, in the game version, the Gerudo Fortress will actually be a full-length dungeon, with the boss of that dungeon being the Shadow Lich. Towards the end Relm and Navi will leave the party temporarily, leaving you with only Link, Saria, and Sheila, but then Baask joins just before fighting the Shadow Lich. Navi will rejoin just after leaving the prison ward, as she does in here, and then they'll have to walk the rest of the way out of the fortress into the desert and cross the wasteland, as well. Relm is absent from the party throughout this entire time.

_**To "The Pilot**_": The "three spirits" are meant to be based on two things. There are similarities between the Three Spirits of The Wind Waker and between three powerful entities in Ocarina of Time. Volvagia and Valoo, of course the Great Deku Tree, and last, Lord Jabu Jabu and Jabun. For the former at the latter, notice how similar the names are (Vol, Val and Jabu, Jabun). I wanted to try and make references to numerous other games in the series, so this is one of the links between games brought up. The main ones are Majora's Mask, Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess, but others will be referenced later on, too. Wind Waker's references will mostly be vague, though, as this story is based on the "Split Timeline" theory and goes along the "Past" timeline from OOT, which does NOT include The Wind Waker (The Wind Waker is based on Ganondorf rising up again, but Link no longer exists in this timeline because he returned to his original time). As for Link being surrounded by a bunch of beautiful girls... Well, I can't really pull something like that off in this story, but the following chapter contains an interesting little feature that will either make people cringe or make them laugh hysterically. XD Maybe, though, I'll see if I can apply something like that to the game version.

Alright, done with this thing now. I've brought it on long enough... :P


	37. The Dark Lord

**Author's Note(s)**: As promised, the second chapter for this update, #37. I've actually now got up to 38 done. I'll try finishing the story over the next week. It's starting to get into the good parts, and I'm enjoying it very much so. ^^

Oh, and WITHOUT the commentary, this chapter is over 6,000 words. That officially sets the record, folks. Longest chapter in the story. Period. AND ITS ONE LONG SCENE!

So, here's the encounter you've all been waiting for. Grab the popcorn and enjoy the show... and PLEASE don't kill me! *looks to readers* No, not you... I mean Link! Link is certainly going to kill me for what I made Ganny do to him. ROFL Don't worry, he's changed back! XD

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 37: The Dark Lord**_

The eerie sound of an organ playing echoed throughout the depths, sending chills down their spines. Link and Navi both clearly recognized the sound. It was Ganondorf. He knew they were coming, and was awaiting their arrival.

The temple appeared to be a complex maze, but every door was wide open, and the halls were empty. Not a soul stirred in its midst. The only sound to be heard were six sets of feet running, and the eerie organ continuing to echo its notes. He was toying with them.

At the central chamber was the large statue of the Goddess that Link had remembered. Of course, it was fully intact, since he had last been here in an alternate timeline which no longer existed. Navi came up and motioned to it, and he nodded. "Yes, it's the same."

"What is?" Saria asked.

Link closed his eyes, thinking. He opened them again. "Navi and I have been here before. That statue," he pointed to it, "we had to go through there. I don't know how we will get their now, though. It was hard enough for me to reach the passage, and the face has to be destroyed first."

Suddenly, a blinding light emitted from Link's pocket, shining brightly. He pulled it out and looked down upon it. Instantly, the light grew, and in the midst, a figure appeared before them.

Relm stepped back surprised. "By the Gods…"

"What IS that?!" Sheila cried out, covering her eyes with her face.

"He seems familiar…" Baask remarked, "but I don't remember from where."

Saria stood and watched as Link nodded before the tall figure, whom bore a white moustache and thin hair. He wore thick, lordly robes—a brown cloak, with a hood, though it did not cover his head. A golden light emitted from his presence.

"It is the Sage of Light," Saria remarked, "Rauru."

The sage turned to his right and threw out his hand. Golden lights emitted and tore open the mask of the woman, revealing a passage behind. Rauru instantly vanished, but a bridge quickly shot out from the passage beneath and to the other side, opening the gateway.

Link returned the medallion into his pocket and ran across the bridge. The rest followed, knowing exactly what they must do. As expected, the door at the end was open. The six just ran on through, up a set of stairs, and into another room with a series of pillars. The room was empty save for the pillars, and the next door was wide open.

They continued on through and found themselves climbing a long, winding set of stairs. They came to a door, but it was locked tight. However, that's not what caught Link's attention. First, there was the sound of the ever growing organ that played. Second, it was coming from a path off to the left, which he did not remember.

"This path was never here before…"

Navi rushed up to the stairs, turning back to face Link. "They must've done some remodeling… Ganondorf is obviously this way!"

It was a quick race to the top, where there was one final door. Unlike all the others, it was shut. However, there was no lock. The organ was very clear now, and loud. Link walked up in front of the others and turned the handle, opening the door.

The sound of the organ was very, very loud, blaring out all across the long, wide, large chamber. The ceiling was a large dome, reaching nearly fifty feet at its highest, and the walls were hard, thick marble. The ground was also made of hard, smooth, polished marble tiling, in a checkerboard pattern—black, then white, then black again.

A tall man sat down on a wooden stool next to the organ, his hands moved all about. His bright red hair was curled behind him in short bunches, and also across his face in a moustache, all the way around down to his chin. His skin was very dark, just like the Gerudo, and he wore deep black armor, with a long black cape behind him.

After finishing the chorus, the man lifted his fingers from the organ, snickering and laughing. "Hehehe… I've been waiting a long time, kid…" he muttered softly. "And look, you've brought friends."

Link ran into the room, removing the Master Sword from its sheath. "Ganondorf…" the hero sneered.

Ganondorf stood up, turning around and throwing his cape behind him. "Hmph… Six against one…? What kind of odds are these? What happened to the good old days, when I only had to deal with one measly boy, hm?" he laughed out. "Of course, you're all a bunch of measly kids… even you, captain, are a little young…"

Baask removed his spear, glaring directly at the dark lord. "I don't care for your antics; let's just get on with this!"

Relm moved out from behind Baask, to the right of Link, pulling out her scimitar. "Yes, Ganondorf… It's time to settle this… And I assure you, I'm NOT just a measly kid!"

"Hahahaha! Foolish mortals! Do you not know who I am?!"

Saria smiled, standing to the left of Link. "Hmph… You're certainly no God. The only reason you have so much power is because of the Triforce!"

"Saria's right," Sheila called out. "You think you're all that, but I've dealt with a lot in my limited time… I know I'm strong!"

"There are only two things that can best me," Ganondorf snapped back, eying Sheila. Suddenly, he turned to Link, continuing, "The Master Sword," and lastly, he turned to Saria, "and the Seven Sages."

The evil king laughed out once more, raising his hands above himself, a dark purple aura filling over them. "And even then, I shall SMITE you all! My power has grown tenfold as I have been trapped, sealed away by you sages… I won't be beaten again… Once I destroy you, I will destroy that woman, the one bearing the scepter, and take even its power as my own! I will become unstoppable, and recreate this world in my own image!"

"What?!" Navi called out, staring in disbelief and covering her eyes as swirling dark energy poured from Ganondorf's fingertips. "I thought the Sorceress was working for him… This doesn't make any sense!"

A bolt struck a corner of the wide chamber and mists swirled around, a feminine laugh echoing out from the depths of the darkness. "Heeheehee… It does not have to make sense!"

Another appeared at the opposing end, laughing out with the same cry, appearing identical to the other except having icy-cool hair instead of firey-hot hair. "Hehehe… It makes sense to me, Koume! Our lord has summoned the witch from another world to release him so he can achieve ultimate power!"

Link gasped, stunned at the sight of the two twin witches. "Koume and Kotake!"

"But," Saria interjected, "Ganondorf already HAS ultimate power! He has the Triforce of Power! What could possibly be more powerful than that?"

"Hehehehe… Foolish girl," Ganondorf began, "it is not a matter of what is the most powerful, but what it means when combined."

The forest sage closed her eyes, but then snickered. She opening them again and pulled out the Kokiri sword in her right hand. "Heh… If that's your game, then, I suppose we should just strip you of that! With the Triforce, we can easily stop the Sorceress and bring light back to our world!"

Link eyed her, bewildered. "Is that it…?" he asked. "This whole thing has gotten to you, hasn't it…? You can't help but feel guilty over unleashing the scepter's power…"

She closed her eyes, gritting her teeth. "I…"

A hand touched the sage's shoulder. Saria looked glanced back and saw Relm there, with Navi and Sheila right behind. "I understand everything now," Navi stated. "Relm, you had nothing to worry about."

Relm raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Wait, you mean…"

Navi smiled. "Saria, your heart is in the right place, but I think your method was all wrong from the start. You hoped to reunite the Triforce, so you tricked Link into releasing Ganondorf. It wasn't the Sorceress at all."

Link sighed of relief. "Oh, is that all…? Hmm…" he turned back, "I agree with Navi, but… you don't have to worry about it. I'm sure any of us would've been opting to do the same if we were in your shoes. So, in a way, you are the 'traitor' I kept hearing, but it was nothing bad at all… I'm actually more relieved than anything."

Saria looked down at the ground, sighing. "I'm sorry… It was wrong, but I just…"

Sheila laughed. "Come on, don't worry about it! Now let's just finish this."

Relm crossed her arms, turning away. _'So… It was Saria after all. Maybe Saria herself was being manipulated, forced to release Ganondorf. Could the Sorceress want the power of the Triforce? Well, we won't let that happen. The power can be used for good or ill, so we'll use it to set things right.'_

A grunt from the elder of the six snapped everyone back into attention. "Ahem," Baask remarked, "this is all fine and dandy, but shouldn't we worry about the two hags and the dark overlord that are about to skin us alive with blades and magic?"

The party suddenly split in all directions as an enormous ball of dark electrical energy struck the entrance to the large, wide open chamber. "Enough of this," Ganondorf proclaimed, his eyes shifting to the intruders.

The sound of bells rang out and a robed figure appeared a few feet from where Koume hovered above the ground. The witch's wand was in the air, quickly alerting Relm that something was being summoned. Hands were thrown forward and a large pillar of flames shot towards her. The red-haired girl ducked left, the long ponytail behind her nearly singed.

Relm moved swiftly, pushing herself off of a nearby pillar, which was the furthest from Gannondorf just to the right of the entrance. She used this momentum to fling across the chamber and strike the robed wizard with her scimitar, cutting through.

The firey little creature vanished into flames, and she heard the sound again, a ways away. It laughed at her and threw another ball of flames in her direction. Relm gasped out, stunned, slashing a few of the balls of fire so they disappeared before hitting her.

Beams of dark bolts reverberated off of the shield that appeared around the dark lord as Link struck repeatedly, trying to break through. Ganondorf laughed off and threw his hands off to the side, pouring energy inward. The shield briefly expanded, catching Link in its wake and causing bolts of evil energy to flow across his body.

He gasped, closing his eyes in attempts to dull the pain that courses into his veins. Slowly, Link positioned the Master Sword in front of him. The barrier immediately pulled back and the green-clad hero was shot into a pillar, collapsing to the ground.

"Ugh… that's JUST what I needed…" the voice spoke, sarcastically.

Shadows and mists appeared along the ground. Icicles sprayed, and flames erupted from the ground. Dark creatures of death materialized, and the fiery breath called forth from erupting bursts across the ground. Cold mists also grew, mixing with the flames and darkness in a chilling encounter.

A burst of icy energy reflected off of Navi's magic shield, cast toward the wall and freezing a portion of it. Kotake, the hag and witch, summoned more frozen monsters amidst the chamber. A few feet away, a freezard, a small living statue of ice, because breathing its cold breath. Navi ducked to the left side and rolled forward, cutting her wand past the creature and slicing the head off, but then she began rolled around some more as it turned toward her. One more jab and it melted into the ground.

Energy billowed up once more. "Shee-hai!" a voice cried out behind her.

The fairy gasped and flipped backwards as a beam of ice narrowly missed her, striking the ground and freezing an entire section of the flooring.

Nearby, Sheila kicked back an undead monster and shot an arrow into its skull, causing it to collapse. She looked up and saw Navi dodging attacks from the hag. The white-haired archer quickly pulled an arrow out and shot it up at the hag, but the witch simply laugh as the wooden object struck a barrier of ice.

'_No, that won't do at all!'_ she told herself.

Sheila's eyes flipped over to the opposing side. Baask quickly jab his spear into a fire wizrobe, killing it, while Relm deflected fire bolts from Koume. _'Fire and ice…'_ Sheila thought to herself. _'They repel one another…'_

Saria quickly swung her hand around in a wide arch and plants grew up around her, strangely the deathly minions until they vanished into dark mist. "Saria!"

The forest sage turned to the voice. "What is it?"

The white haired girl pointed up towards Koume, then motioned to Kotake. "Create a set of vines between the two! Hurry!"

The green-haired girl glanced up to the fire witch, and then over to the icy one. That's when it clicked, and she grinned widely.

Flames poured out the dodongo's mouth, but it was too slow to hit the swiftly moving Relm. A spear slammed down into its tail and it spun around, giving Relm just what she needed. The red-haired girl struck thrice against the creature's tail as it came near to her, and the beast collapsed into the ground, exploding and melting back down into the dark mists from before.

Kotake laughed out, again, though, not giving up. "Hehehe… No matter how many beasts you kill, I shall only summon more! It's hopeless; give up!"

Relm gritted her teeth. "Never! It's not over until the last of us falls!"

"Heh, agreed," Baask snapped back, spinning his spear between his fingers, finally mounting it again in his right hand. "Ganondorf still has to pay for what he did to my men, and Captain Trey!"

"Very well, then…" the witch laughed out, charging another blast of fire. "I shall burn you to ashes and you will die from my searing flames!"

Relm and Baask both raised their weapons to deflect the attack. Koume poured all her might into this one, though, and the fires erupted and full force, much greater than what either had anticipated. Instantly, numerous vines sprouted from the earth, stopping the fire. The plants in turn burned away, all the way across the chamber, to where they were frozen by Kotake's magic, wrapped tightly around her.

The fires broke through the freezing magic and incinerated Kotake. The witch melted into mist just as the other monsters had done, much to Navi's own surprise. "They're just recreations of the original Koume and Kotake!" the fairy called out. "They are just like the other monsters!"

Koume cried out in desperation. "My sister!" she snapped back. "You KILLED my sister!"

Relm laughed. "Hah! We did nothing… Your 'sister' was already dead. You two are merely shadows of the real ones."

The witch growled, the flames on her head bursting outward full-force. "YOOOOOU LIIIIE! I SHALL STRIKE YOU DOWN HERE AND NOW!"

Relm snickered, throwing her scimitar in front of her as the fires poured down again. A bright light erupted from the ground that instant, though, and a red, circular object spun swiftly. The image of an elderly goron, but yet strong, appeared. The red-haired girl and the Masan captain were surprised, but not for long.

The flames were stopped, ground to a halt. Navi came up from behind and split her hands apart, casting a quick spell and forming a barrier. She threw it directly at Kotake. Another light appeared, this time a blue object surfaced. The mirage of Ruto appeared, and now Relm and Baask knew for sure that the Goron was also a sage.

Ruto lifted her hand toward the witch and Navi's barrier cooled rapidly, turning into a large icy mist. The hag froze into a solid block of ice, falling to the ground and smashing into pieces, melting into darkness just like her sister.

Metal struck hard against metal. Link swung the mighty Master Sword and it crossed with the dark lord's long, sharpened razor. The green-clad hero was unwilling to back down, though, and proceeded to consistently strike down on top of Ganon. However, for some reason, Link found himself having a hard time keeping his balance. Things seemed off-center, but the legendary hero couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was.

"Link!" Saria cried out, racing toward the two.

Link turned to her, holding out his right hand. "Stay back! Don't get any closer!"

The forest sage gasped, stunned beyond all belief. "L-link…? Is that really you…?"

The hero of time raised an eyebrow. "Huh? What has changed, I—"

"Hehehe… And to think the 'boy' was completely oblivious to my spell… Until now…" Ganondorf laughed out.

Link looked down at himself; feeling his body all around. His hands were smaller, and smoother. His body did seem a little awkward, and for some reason, his hair was a lot longer than he remembered. What caught him most off guard was his body shape, and the two lumps on his chest that he did not remember before.

"What the hell?!" she cried out, suddenly realizing the change. Link only just now realized that _her_ voice was much lighter and more feminine than it should've been.

Ganondorf laughed. "Hehehe… Magic is such a wondrous thing, is it not? Don't worry, young Link… I won't kill you. I'm just going to toy with you. You seem to be so fond of girls, so I figured it'd be best to fill in the gaps in your little band!"

Link cried out, spinning around. "You… DAMN you!"

The commotion alerted the attention of the others, whom were just as surprised as the now-female Link was. The heroine of time began striking hard against Ganondorf repeatedly, but the dark lord simply held up his blade and finally pushed back, causing Link to fly to the other end of the room and roll across the ground.

The former boy found himself a little more agile, yet greatly weaker than he was before. Some girls were pretty strong, and she probably ones compared to most, but compared to her male self, there was a huge difference.

Saria raced over to Link, kneeling down beside the new girl. "Link, are you okay?"

Link grunted. "Never better…" she hissed, complete and total sarcasm evident in her voice.

Saria, Sheila, Relm, and Baask formed a wide circle around Ganondorf, but the dark lord wasn't face. "Hehehe… Now to deal with the REST of you!"

The king of Gerudos sheathed his sword and pulled his hands in together. None of the four dared attack him, knowing full well that their weapons could not stand to his dark power.

In an instant, Ganondorf vanished, and the entire chamber shook violently. Energy poured from the center of the room and spread out wide, exploding out in a complete sphere, blowing off the roof of the palace entirely, including all the walls and pillars.

The passage leading back down into the Spirit Temple caved in, and now all found themselves up and behind the great head etched into the front of the construct, mountains behind and on both sides of the six. Sands poured in from everything, winds raising high and striking, threatening to push everyone over the edge of the roof.

Ganondorf appeared behind them, floating above the ground by a few feet. His hands were still bursting with energy, and he raised them up into the sky. A ball appeared, and he quickly threw it down at the group of four.

All of them split, Navi dodging to her right, Baask to his left, Relm back, and Sheila forward.

Relm collapsed to her feet, gritting her teeth. _'How can we fight a man… no, a monster… with such power…?'_

A light appeared before her, and she gasped out in surprise. "Do not fall into despair… Remember my teachings…"

Impa appeared before her, with all time around stopped. Relm stared, blankly. "Master…"

The medallion dissipated, but Relm felt new strength. Winds whirled up behind her and her left arm broke free from the bands, as the others stared in disbelief at the distorted, twisted mass of dark flesh. Energy swirled amidst her hand.

Ganondorf tossed another ball, this one directly towards her. However, Relm was unfazed and she simply stood there, waiting. As the dark energy billowing black smoke reached within inches of her, she swung her left arm around and poured more energy back into it, catching the ball and spinning in a wide circle and letting it go, throwing it back at him.

The dark lord hissed and swiped it from the air. This time, he swung hard down and to the right, slightly, flinging it down at the captain. Baask was surprised, and he jumped aside, but it was too fast for him to avoid. However, Relm rushed forward, jumping up and grabbing the ball of swirling dark energy right out of the air.

Getting sights on her target, the red-haired girl threw her arm up and forward, letting go of the energy as it shot up and struck Ganondorf, stunning him temporarily. Sheila noticed this and quickly aimed her bow, letting it fly. It struck the evil king, but it just bounced off his armor. She reached for another arrow, but felt a hand on her shoulder.

Navi shook her head. "Only arrows of light can pierce him, and we don't have the power… We have to find some way to strike him down!"

Ganondorf spun in a circle, roaring out. "ENOUGH!"

The floating figure charged more energy and poured his all into it, striking it down at the red-haired one at the center. Relm threw both hands up in protest, using all her might coupled with what she had learned from Impa to control the dark powers.

The energy struck her fingertips, and she felt herself being pushed back slightly. Finally, she managed to get some leverage, shifting the energy and reversing the flow in the opposite direction, but only slightly. Ganondorf just laughed, a glowing symbol appearing on the back side of his right hand. The symbol of the Triforce, with the Triforce of Power highlighted.

"Fool… You are no match for…" he pressed harder, and Relm was suddenly enveloped it dark energies, crying out. "MY POWER!"

Relm fell to her hands and knees, staring down at the ground. Finally, she turned sky high and cried out in pain as she felt her body distorting all around her. Fur grew all over herself, and her eyes shifted, a muzzle sprouting from her face. Her fingers joined together and small claws poked out, her legs shortened, shifting into new positions. She howled, and finally collapsed.

"R-relm!" Sheila called out, racing over to the wolf that now lay unconscious in the spot where Relm once stood. The white-haired girl fell to her knees and brushed her hand passed the wolf's ears, crying slightly. "Relm…"

Ganondorf snickered, landing on the rooftop in front of them. All eyes turned to face the red wolf lying on the ground, including Link's and Saria's. "Hehehe… Fitting form, don't you think? She's always been so… independent… Maybe now she can learn to fend for herself out in the wild."

Link gritted her teeth, rushing forward swiftly, the Master Sword in hand. "I've had enough of this! I won't let you hurt anybody else!"

The dark lord laughed. "Hehehe… So the pretty lady has come out to play… So be it!"

A finger pointed in the former boy's direction and energy surged towards her. Link just laughed, though, throwing her blade up in front of it. The magic was vanquished, much to Ganon's disappointment. "Ah, but it is to be expected, with the blade of evil's bane… Hehehe…"

The green-clad _heroine_ continued on forward, jumping into the air and slashing up at where Ganondorf hovered. Just as the blade slid by, though, he disappeared.

Baask spun his spear, turning around. "Now where'd the devil go?!"

"Hiiiiya!"

Waves of energy vibrated across the ground from behind where the captain stood as Ganondorf slammed his fists down into the rooftop. Swiftly, more undead monsters appeared, consisting of merely three stalfos and a number of stalchids, but they were still numerous. However, everyone turned back to where the waves emanated from, only to just catch the dark lord as he disappeared once again.

Saria rushed back into the fray, assisting Navi by slashing across a stalfos that dared approach. It fell back a bit, but was mostly unharmed by the blade. That is until Link came in and struck down with the Master Sword, followed by a swift strike to the skeleton's shield, destroying that, and one more horizontal strike straight through its backbone to seal the deal.

Baask spun his spear to block the sword swipes of the remaining two stalfos that felt the need to gang up on him instead of targeting the ladies. He rolled to his right and slammed the tip of his weapon into the side of the first stalfos, cutting out right and breaking a few more bones out of the back.

Small pieces fell off, but the skeleton remained mostly whole. Instead of harming it, the attack only made the deathly creature angry with the Masan captain. It jumped right and surprised Baask with a swift strike that he was barely able to block. As he wasn't expecting it, either, his hands weren't firmly gripping his weapon, causing it to slip and roll a few feet away, just under the feet of the other stalfos.

Strangely, these ones weren't as dense as other such creatures. The second stalfos kicked the spear away and the weapon rolled right off the top of the temple.

Baask gritted his teeth. "Crap…"

The undead creature turned back, roaring and showing its hollow skull of a head. It moved back towards him and flung its long scimitar down. Baask blocked with his steel arm bracers, but now he was without a means to fight back.

An arrow struck the stalfos's skull before Sheila cried out as she was overtaken by stalchids. Saria ran in with the Kokiri Sword and struck down the three small creatures with ease, though it didn't put much of a dent in the mass that was summoned by Ganondorf.

Soon even Saria found herself being overwhelmed by seven more stalchids, with yet others on the way. She took down about four more before an additional eight jumped in and grabbed onto her dress, pulling on it. Sheila kicked a couple away in the back and shot two more with her bow, but they didn't see much help coming as Link and Navi were already struggling to try and break through the masses to Baask.

Suddenly, something dashed in front of them and grabbed a few of the creatues with it. The deep red streak was barely visible with the great speed it took, but after seeing it tear apart a bunch of stalfos with its teeth the two quickly realized what it was.

"Relm!" Sheila called out.

Relm growled at the beasts, and then turned back to Sheila, nodding her head. She clearly could not speak while in this form, but she did have her full human intelligence despite that. With Relm's help, Saria was able to fight back a bunch of the stalchids around them, enough so that Sheila could shoot a few more arrows at one of the two stalfos surrounding Baask.

Link and Navi finally broke through the remaining stalchids; the bones left on the ground melting away. The two raced toward Baask, who was still struggling against the duo of stalfos, doing his best to fist fight them without much luck. Unfortunately, though, a shadow appeared in the ground and Ganondorf came up out of it, blocking the path.

The dark lord narrowed his eyes, laughing out. "Hehehe… About time… but far too late!" he raised his hand, charging a ball of energy before him.

The dark swirling ball shot towards the two. Link ran on up and slashed across the ball with the Master Sword… but the blade simply passed straight through. "What?!"

Navi threw her hands forward and a magical barrier appeared in front of her. Once again, though, it did no good. The energy struck the fairy on the chest and she gasped out, collapsing to her knees. She shivered, touching the spot where it had struck.

"Wh-what?!"

Link stared back in disbelief as a pale gray spread from Navi's chest, to her hand and up her arm, and also down her stomach.

The fairy tried to remove her hand, but could not. She turned up, reaching out with her left hand. "Link!" she cried, before her entire body was encased in it.

"No way… Navi!" the former boy called out, rushing over and sliding down next to the fairy. Link placed her hand on Navi's head, and felt along the fairy's arm and back. "Stone…"

Link's eyes narrowed wildly, and she gritted her teeth, turning back. "Ganondorf…"

Baask punched at the second stalfos, the one in front of him on his right with three arrows it its head, and then swung his right foot around to collide with its face. The beast collapsed back onto the ground, dropping its sword and shield. Taking the opportunity, the captain ran up and grabbed the sword, cutting the undead monster apart in three places.

The creature faded into mist. Baask smiled and swung the sword at the other stalfos, using it as a weapon. Unfortunately, though, his plan didn't work. Killing the first stalfos not only caused it to fade, but also its weapons. He was, yet again, unarmed. "Damnit!"

The sword of the second stalfos warrior came down and Baask threw his arms up. His bracers were severely damaged now and in great disrepair. His arms were also tired; weak from all this fighting. However, he wasn't about to give up. He would never abandon hope, even in the darkest of circumstances.

'_Believe in yourself, Baask… Believe in your own strength… I know you better than even you know yourself… Fight!'_

Baask glanced around, surprised. "Nabooru…?"

A medallion appeared in mid-air a few feet away. Nabooru smiled, placing a hand on his shoulder, before disappearing again. He shoved the stalfos back swiftly and followed up with a spinning mid-air kicking, knocking both his feet into the creature and causing it to collapse into the ground.

Baask closed his eyes and concentrated, the world seeming to spin around him. He raised his left hand high, his fingers pointed down, and his right hand just below that, fingers pointed up. He began to chant.

"Spirits of death…"

Saria jumped up and slammed the Kokiri Sword down, slashing a stalchid in half. Relm ran up and pounced on another stalchid, tearing it open with her teeth.

"Listen to the words I speak…"

Sheila aimed at the incoming stalchids, trying her best to evade their strikes as they approached, but she kept on getting pushed backwards. She fired an arrow and finally reached for another one. Instantly her face went pale.

"Return to the grave…"

Link and Ganon exchanged blows, the Master Sword against the dark lord's blood-red blade. Ganondorf swung hard with his right arm and Link ducked, her long hair narrowly missing being cut off by the blade, not that she'd really mind it too much.

"This I command you!"

Baask at last opened his eyes again, the energy flowing between his fingers. He threw his hands into the air and sands blew across the platform where they all stood. The remaining stalfos and all the stalchids left running amok stopped. All faded to dust and were caught up in the swirling winds.

"But that's the power of the Spirit Sage!" Sheila called out, turning to Baask.

The captain nodded. "I know."

Ganondorf spun around, charging up a ball of energy in his right hand. He ran up to the captain and punched the soldier in the face, shooting the ball down into him at the same time. Baask was thrown far back into the rock formation, and boulders above crashed down into him, trapping him beneath the stone.

Relm growled, running over and jumping up at Ganon. He simply raised his hand again and more energy poured into her. She fell passed Ganon and rolled a few inches away. She righted herself again, but vines pulled up out from the depths of the earth and she was wrapped tightly, unable to break free.

"This can't be good…" Sheila muttered, realizing that there were now only three of them left. Her eyes then gazed left. "Saria, what should we—"

Saria stood in front of Ganondorf, Link behind her. She stared into the eyes of the dark lord, her own eyes calm and stern. "You aren't going to get away with this, Ganondorf! There's no way I'm going to let you!"

Ganondorf laughed, crossing his arms. "Ah… and what is a forest sage going to do to stop one such as I? You're insane, girl, but I think I like that about you… hehehe…"

"Saria, you can't possibly do this!" Sheila called out, running up to them.

Link nodded, calling out in protest. "She's right! There's no way you can—"

Saria closed her eyes, looking down at the ground. Vines poured out and wrapping around Link's feet, and around Sheila's, trapping them. "I must do this alone…"

Ganondorf removed his sword just as the forest sage opened her eyes wide, turning to the heavens. Numerous vines spun out of control along the ground beneath them, tearing through and raising Saria into the air just as Ganon swung past. His blade struck a few of them, cutting them down, but they grew back quickly.

The dark lord just laughed, mockingly, turning in the other direction. A tree sprouted up right there, dark and near-dead, just like the howling desert beneath them, but still thick and hard. Other vines came up around him pulled him closer and closer to the three, encasing him and trying to squeeze the life out of him.

Saria just landed on the ground to his left, pulling out the Kokiri Sword. "Saria, you're insane! Only the Master—"

A vine grew and blocked Link's mouth, preventing him from speaking. Saria continued forward, reading to stab the sword into Ganon's side. "For all those that have died, or have been otherwise harmed by you… Justice has been served…" she proclaimed, charging.

Time flowed slow. Saria ran forward, knowing that the vines still had Ganondorf encased against the tree. Ganondorf turned to her, snickering. The sage jumped into the air, charging energy into the Kokiri Sword, using it as a catalyst for her power. The Forest Medallion appeared in front of her, bearing part of the weight.

Suddenly, the vines splintered into pieces and the tree cracked down. Ganondorf raised his right hand and grabbed Saria around the neck, causing her to drop the sword on the ground. "Foolish girl… You did not think you could steal my power, did you not? Well, this is your utter end… Goodbye…"

Energy flowed into Saria and she was shot back, rolling up to the edge of the cliffside, the head of the great goddess below. She rolled a little further, but was able to grab onto the ledge. Ganondorf towered above her, though, and raised his hand. "So long, sage…"

Link cried out, cutting herself out of the vines and running forward, throwing her other hand out. "No! SARIA!"


	38. Holy Trinity

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 38: Holy Trinity**_

Ganondorf laughed out. "Hehehe… Ha ha ha! Four down, including one sage also out of the way… Care for FIVE?"

Instantly he spun in a wide circle and threw a ball of energy at Link. However, she wasted no time in deflecting it straight back with the Master Sword. Ganondorf gritted his teeth. "Playing games, huh? I like that…"

She shook her head. "I've had enough of your games! Plenty of things have happened to me before… I was almost killed as a newborn, I was raised up as an outsider in a place I didn't belong, I was sent away from my home and my only friend, I was sent through time, stalked by the likes of you…"

"My only other friend left me, I was cornered by an imp that transformed me into a deku scrub, and then I was stalked by a creepy mask salesman and almost crushed by a falling moon. More recently I was gone five years, only to come back twenty years in Hyrule. I had even more problems than every before come up after returning. Biggest and most recently of all, though, I have been humiliated by being changed into a woman… Not that I'm _against_ women, but you get the point!"

Link gritted her teeth, staring Ganondorf down. "But this… THIS is the worst thing to ever possibly happen… It was bad enough even after being changed into a girl, but now…"

Ganondorf snickered, laughing out. "Yes, yes, I get it. Your love is dead, blah blah. Please, now, let us finish this. I have a world to conquer."

Link gritted her teeth, staring Ganon down. "Yes, I'll finish this… but you won't be conquering anything!"

The girl charged forward, weapon in hand. She jumped up and slashed downward, but the dark lord threw his sword in the path and they locked blades briefly. Link kicked on Ganon's armor and flipped up backwards, sliding down underneath his legs and slicing up at the armor from the back.

Ganondorf hissed, spinning in a swift one-eighty and cutting down with his large blade. Link was caught off-guard with his speed, but she was faster still, guarding herself with the Master Sword as they locked weapons again.

The dark lord pushed all his strength into his hands, attempting to throw off his nemesis. Link was noticeable weaker as a woman, but even she still poured her full strength and was able to fend off even Ganon's strength for an extended period. Finally, she slid her blade up along Ganon's and rolled right.

The speed within the maneuver surprised Ganondorf as he fell forward, his sword slamming down into the stone of the temple roof. He struggled to free the weapon, but it was stuck in good.

Link took this moment to slash at Ganon's armor, slicing up, and then down to the left at an angle, and then swinging around horizontally. She charged again, but the dark lord kicked her away and then removed his own weapon from the stone.

The girl rolled back a bit, feeling the tugs on her abnormally long hair which she wasn't used to having. _'Note to self: never let my hair grow this long again, and if I'm stuck this way for a while, make sure to cut it,'_ Link thought to herself.

"Hmmhmmhmm… You've been a bad little girl, Link…" Ganondorf laughed out, approaching her. "Since apparently my magic didn't stop you like it did the others, I'll just have to kill you now…"

The dark lord hovered over Link and the girl back away, growling. "Crap… this isn't working…"

At the other end of the roof, Sheila gasped out, watching the two. "No… It can't end like this… I need to do something, anything!"

A light appeared before her and a bright gold medallion appeared in the middle of the air. It quickly faded away, though, forming into an arrow glowing brightly, emanating its light across the way, even in the middle of the morning sky.

Two hands appeared beneath it, and behind, the silhouette formed, smiling at the young white-haired girl. "Sheila… This is the power I can give to you… These arrows of light are the only thing that can stop Ganondorf… You must take them and fight!"

Sheila kneeled on the ground, bowing. "My queen…"

Zelda shook her hand. "Don't. You have no honor greater to give than the protection of this world!"

The voices faded and Link quickly jumped back on her own two feet, swinging the Master Sword with great precision and accuracy, but only able to cross blades with Ganondorf and unable to damage him.

The dark lord narrowed his eyes, laughing. "Ha! Take this!"

Ganondorf took to the air in the opposite direction, charging a ball of energy and throwing it down at Link. The green-clad warrior quickly slashed it with the Master Sword, reflecting it back. Ganondorf swiftly threw it back with his cape and the ball shot even faster towards Link, whom was quick enough to hit the ball again.

Ganon pulled out his cape, but it was too late. He cried out, turning to the air as the energy collided with his body, stunning him.

Link gritted her teeth, wanting to attack but knowing that was impossible. Still, she had to do _something…_

"Link!"

She gasped, surprised. "Sheila?! But I thought—"

An arrow of light shot from Sheila's bow and struck Ganondorf on the back before he was able to recover from the energy. He cried out even louder, falling down onto the ground onto his knees. Link charged forward, sword in hand, and jumped high into the air.

"GUAAHHHH!" Ganondorf screamed at the top of his lungs, feeling the point of the sword in his back.

Link removed the blade and stepped back. Suddenly, she felt a funny feeling, and noticed a white aura flowing over her body. Swiftly, he felt his form reverting back to normal. He flexed his arms, laughing. "Yes!"

The vines around Relm untwined and her fur dissipated, her muzzle pulling back into her face. Her claws pulled in, as did her tail. Her legs and arms lengthened again, reforming into hands and feet, and her clothes were restored back, except for the white wrappings over her left arm, which she had removed herself.

The grayness over Navi faded, and she was able to move her arms again. The fairy stood up and breathed in the fresh air, smiling.

A few of the boulders rolled away a bit and Captain Baask climbed out from the encasing that had trapped him. He, too, had been altered, but he preferred not to disclose that information.

Sheila ran back over by the others, who all stood around the dark lord, Ganondorf, still lying upon the ground. Link sheathed his sword and pulled out the seven medallions, raising his hand into the air. One by one, they floated up and around Ganondorf. But the forest medallion did not budge.

The hero of time turned the item over in his hand, and at last, collapsed to his knees, staring at the ground, tears in his eyes. Even as a girl he did not cry, but now he could not hold them back.

All heads were turned to the ground. Relm moved over and placed a hand on Link's shoulder. "Link, are you—"

Lights emanated from each of the six medallions above, all floating in the air. The six sages, consisting of Rauru, Darunia, Ruto, Impa, Nabooru, and Zelda, all appeared behind their respective medallions, raising their hands to the sky.

Suddenly, the forest medallion glowed and rose up. Link jumped to his feet, surprised.

All eyes shifted toward the edge of the roof, where a glowing green figure appeared. Link raced forward, but then stopped after only a few steps. "N-no…"

The cloaked figure smiled; her face invisible beneath the dark green hood. "You have something I want," the voice laughed out.

The five removed their weapons, save for Baask, whom had none. Instead, he grabbed Ganondorf's sword off the ground and wielded it in his hands.

Link stepped into the front of them as the woman charged through, right over Link's head and through the mass of sages. All six disappeared and the medallions fell to the ground. The forest medallion stayed hovering, though, right in place.

"No way!" the green-clad hero cried out, turning back.

The sorceress laughed out, raising her scepter into the air. A dark, deep purple aura glowed around the scepter, and the Triforce symbol appeared on Ganondorf's right hand. The Triforce came out of Ganondorf and flowed into her, the image appearing now on her hand.

"Hehehe… Link, you will cooperate… I'm going to Hyrule Castle, now… I suspect you know what I seek… And you will follow… After all…" she threw her hand aside and towards the forest medallion. A silhouette of Saria appeared, bound and tied in a corner, "I have the one you love…"

Link gritted his teeth, charging forward. "NOOOOO!!!"

The hero of time jumped into the air, striking out at the sorceress. However, she disappeared, and Link found a hard time landing without collapsing onto the still-unconscious dark lord.

The image appeared again behind him and Link spun around. She laughed out, waving at them. "Heehee… With the Triforce of Power and Wisdom, I'll be nearly unstoppable… enough to take the final Triforce, and with it, the greatest source of power in the universe!"

Once again, the Sorceress vanished. The forest medallion fell to the ground, and the other six arose again, this time in front of the five who stood there.

"Link"

"Relm"

"Sheila"

"Navi"

"Baask"

The six sages spoke, one after the other, starting with Zelda, then Impa, then Ruto, then Darunia, and lastly Nabooru. Rauru was the last to speak, and he stepped forward in front of the others. "We will handle Ganondorf right now," he told them. "You must return to the castle and stop her, before she destroys all of Hyrule. Saria, too, is in her position, and without her, we have no way of sealing Ganondorf. For now, we may only bind him in place so he cannot escape."

Link narrowed his eyes, nodding his head. "My only wish is to save Saria. I will not watch as she is imprisoned by this madwoman!"

"With the Triforce of Power in her hand," Zelda added, "her power is greatly increased. It has been her only aim all along to use you through Saria in order to get to the Triforce. You have to stop her."

Suddenly, black smoke poured into the air, blocking out the light of the sun as it rose into the heavens. The sages were instantly cut off, and the five watched as monsters appeared around them, and fell from the sky.

"We must stop this now!" Relm demanded.

Baask raced over to the edge, looking down. Undead monsters and creatures of the Earth poured out and attacked the temple entrance, Nabooru struggling with all her might to fight them off.

The others arrived and also turned to the ground below. "She's targeting the sages…" Navi proclaimed.

Sheila sighed, looking down. "No, that can't happen… I won't let it; we have to help them."

Link shook his head. "Our only way to save the stages is to stop the Sorceress… She is our target!"

Baask narrowed his eyes. "Do as you must, but I won't leave Nabooru behind alone."

The hero of time jumped down along the edge and slid on the side of the great head before landing on top of the arm. "I'll help you save Nabooru; however, I can do no more than that. There's no time."

Relm raced forward and found the remains of the bandages given to her by Nabooru, trying her best to wrap up her arm. Afterwards, she grabbed the Gerudo Scimitar she had been using off the ground and jumped down over the edge. She flipped once more up into the air following this; landing on top of a stalfos below and skewering it straight through before reaching for another.

Sheila stood above and aimed with her newly-replenished arrows, though she no longer had the advantage of arrows of light to assist her. She followed by slowing making her way down the side.

Navi spread out her arms and glowing rainbow wings flowed out from behind her back. She jumped down and soared toward the ground, using her life magic in order to destroy the undead below.

Baask gripped onto the side of the face and slid down to the arms of the woman, finding his Gerudo spear lying there. He quickly jumped over the edge once more and cut through the hoards.

Nabooru called upon her power and the dead were whisked away. However, other monsters appeared other than undead. Link, Relm, Sheila, and Navi raced over to help, but Nabooru shook her head, pointing toward the desert. "Horses come! You must go now; I will be fine."

Link raced forward, stunned. "Epona!"

"Freya!" Relm called out after, looking to the other horse.

Link and Relm quickly mounted Epona and Freya, respectively. Navi ran up and climbed on behind Link, while Sheila climbed up behind Relm. They turned back to Baask and Nabooru. "Are you coming?" Link asked.

Baask continued fighting, swinging his spear around. He faced the others, shaking his head. "I'm staying with Nabooru. Besides, there are only two horses. Hurry to the castle and I shall meet up with you later."

Relm saluted, smiling. "Very well, then. We're on our way!"

The two horses turned back to the desert, racing out into the darkness that slowly began to envelop the world overhead.

Dust billowed up from the ground as the riders ran across the plains toward the castle of Hyrule. Already the destruction around them was visible; roots torn up from the ground and ridges where monsters had sprouted were all around. Monsters roamed freely, even into Lon Lon Ranch. Link was worried about Malon, but he knew the best way to save her was to stop the Sorceress.

As they reached the bridge, they found that it was cracked and laying in the water. The horses couldn't possibly make it across that, but Link simply clacked his feet together and Epona galloped ever more swiftly. She pushed hard with her back legs and put her front legs forward, landing on the other side of the moat. Freya came behind easily enough.

In the city itself, a long series of roots stuck up from the ground in a straight line up to the castle. No living person was anywhere near the line. However, many soldiers, both Masan and Hylian, and even some civilians, were entwined in the vines. A few of the people were impaled, while others were squeezed. However, all were dead. None who lay in the path of the Sorceress survived.

The riders raced onward to the castle and on through the gates. More vines were wrapped around the stone arch over the entryway and the entire thing had been caved in. Underneath, soldiers were visible, either crushed or impaled, just like the others from before.

"Relm! Link! Sheila! Navi!" a voice called out, racing towards them.

Relm quickly dismounted her horse and ran up, wrapping her arms tightly around the girl. "You're alive! With all this destruction I was worried…"

Sheila slipped out of the saddle, as well, and raced over to her. "Zelda!"

"She infiltrated the castle, killing anything in her path," a male voice proclaimed. "We were left unharmed, though. She only sought the queen, my wife."

"Mother…?" Relm asked, turning to him.

Daphnes nodded his head. "Yes… they went to the Temple of Time. She is trying to reunite the Triforce. Captain Gersh raced in to save her with a number of our men, but I fear they won't get far. We waited to tell you for when you arrived."

Footsteps sounded nearby and Epona grunted. "Link, wait!" Navi called out, racing after him.

"Is he going alone?!" Sheila asked, turning to the others.

Relm gritted her teeth. "There's no way he's going without me…"

The two ran off to the entrance to the Temple of Time at their right, but stopped after hearing Zelda run after them. "I'm not staying here! I won't stand by and watch while others suffer!"

Relm snickered. "Are you sure? You don't really want to ruin that dress, do you?"

Zelda nodded. "I don't care. I want to help!"

"Hurry!" Sheila proclaimed, running off to the temple.

Footsteps echoed amidst the empty hall. The green robed figure stood at the center of the chamber, staring away from the entryway. A cage of vines encased Zelda in the corridor normally blocked off by the Door of Time.

The sorceress snickered. "Heh… You have arrived… I've been waiting for you…"

Link narrowed his eyes. "Where is Saria?"

The woman laughed, motioning to the far corner to the right. Saria was wrapped and gagged in a series of vines. She cried out, trying to reach for Link, but was unable to move.

The hero of time pulled out his sword, staring down the woman standing in the center. "Release her, before I kill you."

The sorceress laughed out, turning around, her face still invisible beneath the hood. In her right hand was a long, purplish-green scepter. She raised it up, crying out. "Behold my power! Nothing can stand in my way, with this, and with the Triforces of Power and of Wisdom!"

The image appeared on Link's right hand, and he looked up to the sorceress. Sure enough, two of them appeared on her hand. Of course, these were the two that Link did not have.

The hero of time rushed forward, the Master Sword held out behind him. "You won't get away with this!"

She laughed again, throwing the scepter up in front of herself to block the blade. Deep, dark red sparks, and bright gold sparks, splintered and sputtered from the two weapons. The clash of powers was clearly visible in the midst of it all.

"Link!" Navi called out from behind.

"I don't have time for this!"

The woman laughed. "I'll MAKE time!"

She flipped backwards through the air and charged energy into her scepter. Vines wrapped around Link's legs, pulling him into the ground slightly. He felt a tingling, and strangely, his feet grew hard and turned a brown color. He felt distortions and small pieces spread from his feet and into the ground, and all around.

He tried to move, but could not. His feet had transformed into tree roots and locked him in place. The feeling spread and he cried out as his legs began to merge together into one block. Link's eyes shifted and he saw others like this. Some appeared to be soldiers. One in question looked like Captain Gersh. In every case the legs had merged together into roots, the arms branches, as were the fingers. The hair turned into leaves and leaves also were sprouted from the fingers.

The hero's hands thickened and bulged. Like the men he saw, his own fingers sprouted leaves, and he could no longer move his hands. It spread up his arm slowly, and he could do nothing to stop it.

"NOOOOO!" the fairy called out, throwing her arms forward.

An energy beam flew from Navi's fingers and into Link. It spread across his body and the changes suddenly reversed. He could move his hands and feet again, and he smiled, turning around. "Good going, N-"

Navi cried out as the transformation completed and she was a solid block of wood, a face barely visible upon it. Her head, including the ponytail that hung down behind her, turned a bright green color, leaves instead of hair. She was motionless; unable to move at all.

"Navi!" Link cried out, throwing his hand forward.

A laugh came from behind and Link grimaced, spinning around. "YOU!"

"She transferred it to herself…" the sorceress proclaimed, laughing out. "Nice touch… but poor, poor fairy… They're usually immune to such things, but she shifted her immunities over to you, leaving her own self completely and totally vulnerable. It is a shame, too, for she was only just able to move again."

"You're despicable!"

"Ha ha ha! I thought that was Ganondorf's job…"

Link dashed forward again, crossing his blade with the woman's scepter. He struck repeatedly, ever pushing her back. "I will FINISH YOU!"

"So long as I have my scepter," she stated, "I'm invincible…"

The hero of time laughed, swinging hard up against it from the right. She lost hold and the scepter flew from her hands, rolling onto the ground. Link rolled to the side and kicked her hard, forcing hero to slam up into the wall at the left side of the room and collapse into the ground.

"Link!" Relm called out, rushing into the chamber. Zelda and Sheila followed.

Link simply stood above the woman lying on the ground, his foot placed on top of the scepter. He stared her down, smiling. "It's over… You've lost," he remarked, before stepping back and slamming the Master Sword down across the side of the staff.

The scepter shattered and faded into mist. Navi was suddenly restored and she collapsed to the ground. The vines around Saria and Zelda also faded.

The sorceress lowered her head, groaning. The hood had fallen from her face, and her long green hair was clearly visible. Link stepped up to her and shoved her to the side, forcing her to look into his eyes. Instantly he froze, falling back. "B-but… It can't…"

The girl laughed. "What's wrong, Link? Can't handle the truth?"

The others behind were also stunned, unable to speak.

Link looked over his shoulder and saw Saria shaking her head, looking up to him. At last, he turned back, shaking his head and standing to his feet. "You can't fool me… You are NOT Saria!"

Swiftly, the green-clad warrior swung his blade and cut across the girl. She vanished and faded into mist, and Link nodded his head. "Hmph… Well, that's over with…"

"L-link…?" Saria remarked.

The boy turned around and smiled, dropping his sword on the ground. He raced over and embraced Saria tightly as the two arrived at the center of the room, standing on the red carpet. Relm, Sheila, Navi, and Zelda all ran down to meet them.

"You did it!" Sheila laughed. "Now things should clear up around here…"

Relm crossed her arms, turning away. "Aww… I wanted to kick some butt…"

Link stared into Saria's eyes, brushing his hand behind her hair. "Everything is fine now, Saria… You're safe, and that woman is gone. She can't hurt you any more."

The girl smiled, snuggling into Link's arms. "Never let me go…"

He shook his head. "I love you, Saria… I couldn't possibly."

Her eyes beamed, and she turned back, staring up at him. "R-really…?"

Link smiled, leaning forward. "Really…" he said at last, before, planting his lips firmly down onto hers.

Relm, Sheila, and Navi cheered as the two held each other close in a long, loving kiss. Finally, they ended, and Saria placed her head against Link's chest. "Mmm… We'll always be together, now… Just you and me… Kingdoms will rise and fall, but our love will remain strong…"

He smiled, brushing her hair again. "Yes, Saria… Come, let's go home."

Princess Zelda placed a hand on her chin, looking around at the trees in the room. Navi had been changed into one, as well, but she was restored… Why weren't Captain Gersh and the Hylian soldiers changed back? And why hadn't her mother moved from her position even after the barrier disappeared? _'Something's not right here…'_ she thought to herself.

"I'll be your queen, and you my king…"

The hero of time nodded. "Yes, yes of course… We'll settle down and create our own little kingdom, in our own house…"

"And rule—together, you and me…"

Link raised an eyebrow. "Saria…? What are you—?"

Saria smiled, staring into his eyes. "Come on, Link… You know what I'm saying… You, the great hero of time, and I, the powerful sage of the forest… It is our destiny, you and I…"

Link stepped back, stunned. "Saria, you're going crazy; nuts… Something's wrong with—"

The Triforce resonated on Link's hand. The other four jumped back in surprise. And it wasn't because of the Triforce of Courage resonating. "Impossible…" Sheila whispered.

The back of Saria's hand glowed bright gold. On her hand, though, two pieces of the Triforce resonated. She snickered. "Link, it has always been there for us, the two most powerful people in the world! Why shouldn't we rule?! THIS WORLD IS RIGHTFULLY OURS!"

Link collapsed to his knees, staring at the ground. "No… This… It can't…"

The forest sage raised her right hand, clasping it down slightly. "You do not wish to take our throne?"

"I don't believe this," Relm proclaimed, "This is insanity!"

Zelda gritted her teeth. "I… I knew something was up… but… this… cannot be…"

"What is wrong with Saria?!" Sheila gasped.

Navi narrowed her eyes, shaking her head. "It was right in front of our eyes the whole time! How could I have not seen it coming?! Saria is the one who awakened the scepter, she was there every time a problem arose, whenever she lashed out in anger monsters appeared… She convinced Link to release Ganondorf, she fell over the cliff and then the Sorceress appeared, the Sorceress tore open the ground and controlled plant life… And now, after the _Sorceress_ stole the Triforce of Power from Ganondorf, and the Triforce of Wisdom from Zelda, Saria is the one who bears it."

Sheila eyed Navi strangely, and then turned to face Saria. "But, wait, you mean…"

Saria sneered, backing away from them all. She lifted her right hand out in front of her, and within it, the Scepter of Darkness appeared. The girl brought her hands together and dark energy lashed from her fingertips. Finally, she pulled her hands away and turned to the ceiling, the scepter floating in the air.

"I have had ENOUGH!"

Vines poured down and tore into the depths of the temple, stripping every stone and particle that was left in its midst. The walls crumbled down and collapsed all around them. Zelda the queen, too, was still encased. In truth, she was never even released in the first place. Saria only made it look like that.

Around them was nothing but forest. The city was gone. Clearly, they had been moved to a new location all-together, including the rubble of the temple and the trees made of the Hylian soldiers. Save for these, Queen Zelda, and the six standing in the ruins of the temple, there wasn't a soul in sight.

Saria reached forward again and gripped firmly onto the scepter. The powers flowed into her and she sneered wildly, the dark cloak from before flowing over her, but this time more like her original cloak. Her tunic was now visible as the cloak wrapped around her neck and hung at her sides, but the hood was down. Like the cloak she wore as the Sorceress, though, this one was a deep, dark green.

The four other girls wasted no time in arming themselves. Sheila pulled out her bow and arrows, Zelda removed a whip, Relm wielded her Gerudo scimitar from before, and Navi held her wand firmly in hand.

The fallen sage lifted herself into the air, feeling the winds coursed through by her own power whipping at her sides. "YOU shall defy me?"

Relm narrowed her eyes. "You're despicable; you used us all along for your own personal gain. I'll NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS!"

"How do you expect us to trust you anymore?" Sheila cried, the tears pouring down from her eyes. "I thought of you as a friend… I thought you really meant something to us, but all along…"

Zelda lowered her head, sighing. "I truly thought I could trust you… You showed me the way when I didn't know otherwise… But now I feel that you did it just to get rid of me!"

"Saria," Navi added, "I always liked you… I thought you were a very sweet girl… But now I see how even the most innocent may fall from grace…"

"Very well, then," Saria sneered. She threw her arms to her side and the vines and plants spun out around her across the field. "I shall just have to DESTROY you!"

Link, on the other hand, was curled up onto the ground. He did not know what to do or say. All he thought, all he dreamed… Was it really just a lie…? Saria couldn't possibly… could she…?

He narrowed his eyes, looking up to face her. She held the scepter firmly in her hand, a dark smirk on her face.

A hand then reached for the Master Sword. Footsteps moved across the ground. Link stepped in front of the four girls, his right hand in a fist, his left bearing the sword. "Saria, I love you, but I can't handle this… This isn't right! I won't let you do this! I don't care how I must do it, but I will get the original Saria back! I will find a way… I know this isn't you! It's that scepter, dam nit, it's the SCEPTER!"

Navi grunted. "Hmph… I'm sorry, Link, but I think you're just living in a dream world… The Saria you knew is gone. She has driven mad with power. We have to stop her, at whatever costs."

Saria landed upon the ground, looking to Link. She shook her head. "Link, do you really mean that…?"

Link raised an eyebrow, eying her. "Yes… I do…"

She closed her eyes, sighing. "I'm sorry, Link…" she sighed and opened her eyes again. Fire burned with in, and her mouth widened into a long sneer. "…but you leave me no choice…"

The girl threw her hands to the air again, calling out. "IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT OUR DESTINY, THEN I WILL TAKE IT ALONE!"

The trees began to thrash around, and then walk on their own. The five standing on the ground were quickly surrounded, with Saria standing their, eyes narrowed. "It's my world, now, and my word is law. If you do not obey, then your destruction is inevitable!"

Link gritted his teeth, glancing all around him. This didn't look good.

* * *

**Author's Note(s)**: I know I said late this week. I couldn't help it.

I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. And no, I did NOT get this idea from Fallen Sage. I mentioned that a while ago. I actually got the idea from an artwork on deviantART, and later on, when trying to FIND that artwork again, I learned about Fallen Sage. And yes, this was planned all along. Let's see who got it right. Most probably guessed it a long time ago, but meh, I tried to throw in other things that pointed against the idea. ^_^

Next chapter probably won't be up for a while. But I am in the process of... well, -trying- to write it. Though I don't think it'll be done by next week.


	39. Web of Lies

**Author's Note(s)**: Yeah, I was right. 'bout a month. Sorry, guys. I know it was extremely delayed. Can you tell why, though? I wanted this grand finale before the Epilogue to be perfect, excellent... and I ended up writing about 8,000 words. Damn. (8,304 to be exact.) The other reason is that I've been very busy working extensively on my web codes for the past few weeks, trying to get it done. However, I haven't been sitting around -just- doing that. I've been writing on and off, but I do already have the -entire- outline of "The Demon Within" written, though a few plot points still need to be expanded on. I've also developed quite a few other points which will be for the game version, whenever I can continue that. It'll be a long time before I get it complete, but I still want to do it. So stay tuned for that.

On another note, the story is actually going to be delayed a little longer, to tell you the truth. Originally I was going to surprise you with the bonus Chapter 41, the Epilogue chapter titled "Memoir of the Lost," but, well, I wrote too much in this one... I didn't get to the end of the battle sequence, and I -definitely- didn't want to extend this chapter even more that it already was, so I simply cut it off and it will continue in the next chapter, consisting of about 50% of it. The remaining part of the next chapter is extended from what I planned, but which was already going to be in the game version, anyway.

This chapter does have a little more violence and gorey sequences than usual, but even then, its still mild compared to what a lot of other people write. I simply added a lot more detail. As for some of the things going on, nearly -everything- will be explained in the next few chapters (which now rests at 42 total, three more, and 40 is started). So, yes, that's in order. A couple other points about this chapter... some of the emotions in here I just couldnt help but put it. I don't want to make any of my characters, female or male, without weaknesses. I'm not trying to imply that one or the other is "superior" in any way, in case some might think that's the case. If it was the case, I wouldn't have tough female characters to begin with, including a new one whom will debut in the next chapter...

Please review and let me know how I'm doing. As I've mentioned before, its a real big confidence booster.

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 39: Web of Lies**_

Wind and Earth combined made up the essence of the forest. Each of the seven sages bore elemental magic attributed to their titles, and Saria, the sage of the forest, was no different. However, in her case, these elements were fluent across the world, for every which way you turned, you were on dry ground, and the wind whipped up and around.

For this reasoning, the Forest Sage, despite the calm nature of the word, proved to be among the strongest of all sages simply because of the variety of powers that this sage bore. The only one which could rival that would be the Time Sage, for the Sage of Time could control the very fabric of time itself.

Despite this, though, Saria still had yet one more thing. She was now the bearer of both the Triforce of Power and the Triforce of Wisdom. One who bears a piece of the Triforce truly is powerful in his or her own right. As Link and Saria were the only remaining Triforce bearers, they truly were the most powerful in the world.

Relm threw her right arm up in front of her face as she felt the turbulent winds surge passed her. She could barely see through the spinning leaves and brush flying in circular motions before her at rapid paces. Her hair flowed out wildly behind her, as did the long leather skirting that hung along the right side of her waist. Her entire body was nearly engulfed in the storm, but she held her balance. She could barely breathe, but she endured.

"This isn't what I had in mind!" Zelda called out nearby, also covering her face from the great vortex.

The princess peered threw her arms, covered with long woven white silk gloves reaching to just below her elbows, trying to see what was going on without anything hitting her face. She felt the weight of the force pushed passed her, threatening to tear her dress right off. Her hair was braided along the left and right side of her bangs, with the rest of her long flowing hair pulled back and held together with a purple cloth, entwined at the far end, beyond the purple piece, in a light blue wrapping.

Pink heeled shoes proved to be a disastrous choice in such conditions, but Zelda was still able to keep her balance. White lace nylons stretched up from her shoes to underneath her dress, which hung down to her ankles. The dress itself was hemmed along the bottom with white silk, nearly three inches high, just below the deep pink, almost purple silk above. The purple stretched all the way around her, but in the front, it came up to just above her waist, where a small Triforce symbol was sewn into the fabric. Around this section was another layer beneath of a lighter pink that hung down slightly over the lower part of the purple, and stretched all the way to her neck, where a golden neckpiece held two pieces of white fabric in place, of which stretched out to her shoulders.

Sheila blinked, startled by the mighty force that pushed against her. She held her arms firmly in front of her face, that being the only thing stopping the spinning whirlwind of intense power emanating from Saria. Her long, bright green knee-length tunic felt the force of the vortex pushing her back, but she held on. Quickly she glanced right, facing Navi the Fairy, who simply stood in the midst as if she was unaffected by the intense power.

"Is this the power of the Scepter?!" Sheila cried out. "How can we face such a thing…"

Navi stood proudly, staring through the depths of the mists to Saria behind. She had short pink hair, held up behind her head in a ponytail. Her blue dress was shorter than that of the others, reaching to a little above her knees. A more pale blue hemmed the bottom in a jagged, yet smooth fashion. Another such piece was a little further up, around her stomach. A piece of this hemming also reached up around her right arm, just above her elbow. Another piece came up from under her right arm, though flat, almost like a belt, and over her left shoulder. One more hem came from this belt-like piece just below her shoulder and wrapped again around her arm.

The fairy's right hand was covered in an arm brace, with more bright blue nearer to her hand, and converting into a slighter green as it stretched up her arm to just below her elbow. All fingers on her hand were visible through the end of the finger wraps along the glove. At the top of the glove, back near her elbow, a white wrapping covered the edge. Her other hand was a similar fashion, though much shorter. A deeper blue hand bracer wrapped around her palm and edged the fingers slightly, reaching back up her arm only to her wrist. A little more of the white wrappings here also wrapped around her wrists.

All was silent for a short bit. The winds still howled, but Sheila did not pay attention. Navi turned back to face the girl, finally shaking her head. "No… It is not. The Scepter of Darkness, from what I have heard, merely empowers the wielder with dark powers. However, the amount of power given is limited by the powers of the wielder. Should one with great power wield the scepter, much more destruction may be caused than one without power."

Sheila raised an eyebrow, stunned and bewildered. "So… That's not the Scepter… This power…"

Saria snickered, reaching her hand out in front of her and firmly gripped the handle of the Scepter. The winds stopped; all eyes stared. All stared upon deep green, almost black cloak that hung down around her and to her sides, clipped around her neck, hood pulled back. All eyes stared at her bright green hair, flowing down behind her into her cloak, and around her head slightly. All eyes stared at the two long strands of her bangs flowing in front of her ears and along the front of her shoulders.

All eyes continued to stare into the depths of her pure green eyes, glowing brightly as the light of the moon cast down upon the night sky. All eyes stared at the malice staining her face; dark ebbs of shadows lurking at the corners of her mouth. All eyes stared at the wide, long, irremovable snicker on her lips. And all stared at the dark staff in her hand, the dreaded evil power flowing from within. The source of all their unending troubles, the source of the greatest evil; possibly even darker than the malice held in Ganondorf's fingertips.

The ancient magical item known only as the Scepter of Darkness.

"It is time."

Saria twisted her body and turned the scepter on its side, gripping it tightly with both hands. Shadows flowed out from it and spread across the edges of the grove surrounding them. Vines sprouted; sickly and evil, black as night, they spread across the field, shooting through the air at lightning-fast speeds.

They piled up, stretching from ground to tree and even from tree to tree. None of them targeted the five standing in defiance of their master's will. All of them instead bridged the gaps in the forest surrounding them, much to the surprise of those within. Nothing else changed.

The ground still sloped up in a small semicircle, just as where the stairs into the Temple of Time had been. The dirt and dust of the Earth was still covered in moss over the northwestern portion of the field, partly across the slope and partly down over it, rounding off behind where Link stood at the bottom, over to the east side, as well.

The entire region was still the exact same size and shape as the Temple of Time, and even stone blocks of the temple were still stacked upon one another along the walls. The pedestal of the Master Sword was still in its same spot, beyond a few of the trees that bordered along the eastern portion, to the right of Saria and to the left of Link, whom faced each other.

Navi still stood along the slope, where the stairs into the temple had once been. Relm and Zelda still stood at the top, though Sheila had moved down to stand next to Navi, whom she had found as a good friend. The queen, Zelda, still lay unconscious in her plant-encasing, between the treeline borders where the corridor leading to the Master Sword usually was supposed to stand, but was now crumbled, some here, lying upon its side on the ground, while the rest was left back in the courtyard. Like the slope where the stairs were in the temple, there was also a slight slope leading up to where the corridor and Door of Time once were.

Other portions of the temple were still visible amidst the ruins, as well. Behind Saria, the corner of the temple stood just above her head, with the edges along the corner gradually getting lower and lower, some bricks lying on the ground. Parts of the marble floor were even still torn up in the ground, and the transformed soldiers, including Captain Gersh, were still rooted to the ground, unmoving.

Instantly upon seeing the barrier around them come up, Relm make a swift one hundred eighty degree turn and dashed forward, feeling the soft moist ground beneath her feet. Zelda gasped as the younger girl dashed off. "What do you think you're doing?!"

The red-haired one just ignored her elder sister's pleas, though. Instead, she removed the Scimitar she swiped from a fallen Gerudo warrior with her right hand and planted her left foot firmly into the mossy ground, using the momentum to push off and into the air. She gripped the blade with two hands; her left arm still covered by the torn bandages, and swung hard down across the thick path of vines, slicing them open

Green, dark ooze spilled out from the thin, round plants, pouring onto the ground like blood seeping out from wounded flesh. It lasted only seconds before the vine grew back, the thick patch of thorns looking ghastly deep, dark brown-green. She tried again, swinging wildly through the web of vines encasing them in the meadow, but to absolutely no avail. Nothing worked.

At last, Relm stopped, breathing in heavily, her fingertips on both hands encasing the hilt of her weapon tightly. "It's no use… We're at her mercy now. She has the power over the woods and the ground, and we are now limited to this small space to maneuver in."

Link, the Hero of Time, stood amidst a wide mossy patch on an otherwise bare ground, looking forward at Saria, facing her side. To his right, a few feet away, stood Navi and Sheila, and behind them stood Zelda. At that moment Relm also moved back next to Zelda, clearly anxious for a fight, but waiting to see what would happen next. She never let her fingers slip from her weapon, though. In fact, everyone now had their weapons bared.

"Saria, this isn't like you! You have to stop this madness! Break free from it; I know you can! I believe in you!"

She eyed him, smiling. "Heh… Soothing words…" it didn't last long, though. Her smile turned into a wide smirk. "Too bad you're all too wrong, Link… I know what I'm doing… The Scepter doesn't have a thing to do with it…"

Saria stepped forward, moving closer to Link, continuing her speech, scepter still in hand. "Actually, the truth is, I sought the Triforce so I could DESTROY the darkness once and for all… but then, I realized… Even if I destroyed the scepter, it would be meaningless… Darkness is all around us; evil is all around us… However, if I could gather the pieces together, I could go out and stop it all, once and for all. No more death and destruction, no more hatred and murder, thievery, fighting, warring, famine… Under my rule, the world will be a perfect utopia, and there shall be true peace on this God-forsaken planet!"

Relm narrowed her eyes, sneering. "Peace on Earth, huh? Yeah, but at what price? The free will of all life?"

"She's right," Zelda added. "All you're trying to do is replace one evil with another! No, I don't like all this death and destruction, but unless we fight evil, it will never be subdued. You can't fight evil by destroying freedom! That's what tyrants do."

A ball of white light hovered above Navi's right hand as she poured power into it between her fingers. She narrowed her eyes, feeling the holy energy overflowing. "I've had enough! I'm sorry, Saria, but this can't go any further. Despite the consequences, despite the chances of survival, I won't be fazed! You have overstepped your bounds as a sage, abusing your powers for yourself. I cannot allow that!"

Immersing energies flowed freely the fairy's palm, emanating brightly amidst the darkness. Flashes of holy light sparkled and sputtered, radiating the very essence of the sun's light itself. It glowed brightly, shining in the darkness, twisting amidst her fingers as it spread, beaming in all the colors of the rainbow.

"Light of the heavens, pierce this darkness with your unending power…"

Saria's gaze shifted to Navi, and the sage snickered. "You would give up your life…? You know you can't control it."

"NO!" Sheila cried, quickly flinging an arrow into her bow and pulling back far. She let loose and the piercing weapon speeded through the air, spinning rapidly. The feathers whistled in the wind, the arrow straight on its course.

Saria just stood and watched, arms crossed. She saw the spinning projectile, yet she did nothing to halt its advance. Inches in front of her face, it stopped. Immediately afterwards, it fell harmlessly to the ground.

Relm instantly launched into action, jumping high into the air and flipping forward, landing back on her feet again. She dashed ahead, scimitar in hand, racing down the slope and passed Link, then following up with a swift ninety-degree turn to her right.

The forest sage gleefully watched the red-haired one approach. She quickly directed her right hand up and away from her. The ground shook all around, but Relm kept moving… until a stone wall shot up in front of her, a few feet in front of where Saria stood.

However, Relm wasn't easily fazed. She was trained with the instincts of the Sheikah ninjas; swift, agile, and cunning. She rolled to her left and around the wall, only to realize her mistake. She didn't watch the earth beneath carefully enough.

Zelda gasped and raced down the field. Meanwhile, Sheila gripped Navi's wrists tightly in attempts to talk her out of casting the spell. "You can't do this!"

"I must," she simply replied, tearing her hands away, keeping her gaze focused on Saria. "It's the only way to stop her."

The princess took her left foot and pushed off to her right. She gripped tightly onto the handle of an object wrapped into the coils of the spun robe tied around her waist, nearly invisible despite the dress, and with her right hand pulled out a long whip, made of hide.

"How do you know that it CAN stop her?" Sheila interjected, seemingly oblivious to the chaos around.

Still moving through the air, Zelda swiftly rotated her hand, spinning the whip in a wide circle and then throwing it forward, all in a matter of seconds. It wrapped tightly around the stone block raised out of the ground and she dived into the hole that had erupted in the earth.

Navi closed her eyes, trying to hold back the tears, but failing miserably. "I can't. I just know that I have to try. I know how to use the spell, and it may be able to delay her, but likely only the Master Sword could possibly hope to stop the power."

Saria shifted her position, moving up behind the stone block, standing a few feet away. She raised her hands and the slab of stone began to shake violently, sending shards down on all sides, one of which even hitting Zelda in the head, almost making her lose her grip, but she held on firmly. "However… the likelihood of us stopping her without one of us falling is nigh impossible."

Webbed vines tore out from the depths of the abyss, spinning wildly, tearing through the earth, forming a misty dust that settled in the air, forcing its way up. Relm tried again to grip the side of the dirt wall with her feet, but they continually slipped, falling back down again. She looked up at the scimitar near-halfway into the wall, her hands held firmly onto the handle, the only thing keeping her from life and a quick death from either the molten rock far below, or the spiked barb vines that were gradually nearing her ever so quickly.

"Hang on!" Zelda called out.

White dust collapsed upon her from above, and Relm closed her eyes, turning away, concentrating only on keeping her grip on the hilt. She bit her lip as a solid object nicked the side of her head, trying her best to ignore the pain. "What do you think I'm trying to do?!"

Link simply stood and stared in disbelief, unable to react. This wasn't like any other foe he had faced before. He'd faced many in his lifetime, plenty of which he'd prefer to forget. Ganondorf the most powerful, but there was also Majora, the ancient deity's power sealed within the accursed mask. Any of these were likely more powerful than this current one, but… but…

'_How can I fight Saria?!'_ he asked himself.

The Hero of Time, great and mighty as he had been proclaimed to be, had met his match. The only thing he could not fight; the only entity, emotion, he couldn't possibly face.

Love.

Navi looked up and gritted her teeth. She quickly pushed Sheila away and looked down in front of her, bringing her two hands together. "Powers of the sun, I summon you…" sparks of energy flickered between her fingers once more, glowing brightly, "quench this darkness…"

Sheila gasped, crying out. "Please, no!"

Link's eyes gazed back to Navi. What was it that he heard? _"You would give up your life…? You know you can't control it."_

He gritted his teeth, chattering, feeling a shiver down his spine. His hand quaked; trembling violently. _'She's willing to stop Saria at any cost… but that spell is too great for her to control… She'll…'_ He shifted his gaze back to Saria again, eyes narrow.

The dark glow in her eyes increased, seeming to follow her in a steady image. That wretched smile; perfect. It felt like… freedom... freedom from stubborn rules; freedom from strict regulations; freedom to use her powers to her fullest. She never dreamed it possible… how much power she truly had in the palm of her hand…

Saria raised her hands eye, laughing out. "Alright, enough play time… the game's over," she sneered, and then threw her arms down once more.

Instantly, the tower of stone cracked right down the middle, tearing into two pieces. The left half fell down to the ground, and with a loud snap, the whip broke. Zelda gasped, grabbing up with her other hand along the side of the pit.

The earth shook again, rumbling beneath Sheila's body. She heard another noise beneath her, though, and quickly rolled over to her left just as a wooden spike jutted out from the ground where she had lain. She pushed herself up and another shot up behind her.

Sheila quickly turned back to face Navi, but she saw nothing. A spike was in place, but Navi wasn't impaled. Navi just wasn't there. The spell hadn't been cast, and the fairy girl had disappeared. _'Where could she have gone…?'_

"Relm, grab my hand!" Zelda called out from above, hanging from the edge of the abyss using her left hand and holding her right hand out.

A fissure erupted in the mud wall, tearing apart as the dirt crumbled just in front of where Relm's feet hung down. Ignoring Zelda's call, she swiftly lifted her legs only seconds before a long, coiled vine, with small red spiked barbs all around it, shot through the newly formed opening and across the gap. It would have cut off her legs had she not maneuvered out of the way.

More fissures formed around them, one behind Relm and to the left. The plant tore across the gaping hole and crashed into the opposing wall, this one barely missing the back of Relm's upper legs. She glanced up again and saw that Zelda wasn't in any better condition; barely able to hold onto the ledge after having been knocked into the pit by Saria.

The rustling in the ground began again. Relm looked below and saw the long web of vines, piercing with sharp barbs all along them, likely poisonous, traversing the pit all the way up. In a barely-visible hole amidst all the twisting plants, a glowing redness was visible at the far depths; molten rock down beneath the Earth.

Relm spun her head back and saw more dust seeping from a small round circular position in the wall. A jagged, piercing vine suddenly shot out, directly towards her face. She glanced down beneath her and noticed that the spiked barbs on the one beneath her were not covering the entire surface. There were gaps in the middle, just enough to plant her foot down.

Zelda screamed as Relm's hand slipped from the sword handle. A vine pierced the mud and struck the wall just in front of where the red-haired girl's head had been only seconds prior. As the vine continued to move further into the wall, a hand, with a brown leather strap wrapped around its wrist, grabbed firmly between the barbs.

As swift as the hand appeared, it was gone again. A shadow loomed overhead, launching through the air. The scimitar in the wall came loose as the shadow passed and it vanished. Zelda looked over to the vine and placed her foot on the side, holding it firmly in place as it continued to surge into the wall. She kept her baring, not losing sight of its position, using its leverage to pull herself up. It was no easy task, but with a foothold it made things easier than before.

Instantly another rumbling echoed across the ground. Zelda gasped and she lost her grip with her left hand, her foot also slipping off of the vine. She swung her other hand up and tightened her grip upon the edge. Another hand grabbed onto the outside of hers, tightly grasping it firmly. "I won't let you fall!" Relm called back, she herself having managed to get out of the pit only moments before.

"I was doing just fine until that quake…" Zelda remarked, still staring up. "Hurry; pull me up!"

Relm firmly grabbed Zelda's hand with her other hand, as well, pulling back. The elder then gasped out in surprise, staring at the stone wall that had been raised up by Saria before and had since split it two. A sword stabbed straight through it, cracking the whole structure. On the other side, Link used the momentum from his run to swing his entire body around in a wide arc, swiping his blade back out from the stone again. He held his feet out in front, flying swiftly through the air.

Saria snickered, putting the scepter out in front of her, held firmly on either end with her two hands. Link had no choice put to plant his right foot down upon it. He rebounded back up into the air again a few feet, also knocking Saria back shortly. Link planted his two feet firmly back down again before charging, stepping to the left to avoid a boulder and jumping up to avoid a root that had grown down beneath his feet.

Another vine shot up in front of Link, merely a foot and a half away from Saria. This one wasn't barbed like the ones in the pit. Link simply stepped on it firmly, as it was very strong, using the speed given in his run to launch himself forward, pulling his sword back far to swing hard down upon Saria. That's when he met his match.

The boulder crumbled to pieces and collapsed into the pit just as Zelda's body escaped the chasm. Relm fell back and rolled over Sheila, whom had also came to help by pulling Relm's waist. The red-haired one quickly jumped back up and pulled the young girl, still dazed, off the ground, not wishing to hurt her that badly.

Sheila stood up and turned towards the south, mouth agape. "Link!"

Saria had been standing right in front of the vine wall around the edges where the temple walls should have been normally. Every vine was thick with thistles, covering every inch. Saria merely stepped to the side, forcing Link to quickly slice through the wall and hope that there was nothing beyond it. He disappeared in its midst, the plants growing back the instant his foot was swallowed up.

Saria's eyes opened wide, narrowing down upon the three who stood further north, watching her. She smiled slyly, laughing. "Hehehehe… Poor Link just didn't know when to quit, did he…? And he was so perfect, too…"

Relm narrowed her eyes, holding her scimitar to her side, glaring profusely at the forest sage. "You're DESPICABLE!"

She laughed, again; her hideous, gruesome laugh. None of the three girls at the other hand of the clearing found it funny. "Oh… why, thank you! It warms my heart…" she mocked, sadistically. "however, unfortunately… I have to kill you now… If you keep standing in my way, and I know you're going to, I have no choice but to destroy you right here, right this minute. Any objections?"

"I do!" a soft voice called out from above.

Saria was momentarily startled, as were the others, but finally, she just laughed again. "Oh, right… Sorry, shrimp, but it doesn't work that way!"

A ball of light fluttered in the sky, and soon, other lights emerged, balls of magical holy energy thrown down toward Saria. The sage simply deflected them using the scepter, overwhelming them, enveloping them in shadow.

Sheila gasped out in stunned surprise. "Navi!"

Relm raised an eyebrow, staring at the small ball of light. It was glowing red, but no body could be visibly seen. Long wings extended from the ball, though, and they were visible. As shadows shot from Saria's hands toward the ball, it quickly shifted positions in the air, fluttering all around.

"Hold still, you devil!" Saria demanded, throwing her hand forward again towards the fairy, launching another dark energy ball.

"That's Navi?" Relm asked.

Zelda crossed her arms, standing next to Relm, turning towards her. "You've never seen the true form of a fairy?" she asked.

Relm shook her head. "I've never seen a FAIRY before… well, now."

Sheila blinked in surprise. "You never realized she was a fairy?!"

"I never thought to pop the question."

Navi held her hands up in front of her, her right above the left, fingers pointing away, directly towards the fingers on the other hand. Energy swirled between them, trying to escape her grasp, but she kept hold of it. "This ends here, Saria! You have built your own grave upon this web of lies you have woven."

Saria landed silently onto the ground, walking forward. She looked into the sky, eying the ball of light carefully. Out of the corner of her eye she saw movement, but with the snap of a finger it was dealt with. That would distract them, while she could concentrate on this silly little fairy.

Zelda's feet suddenly gave way underneath her. She collapsed to the ground, feeling something pulling hard at her leg. She looked at saw waving tentacle-like plants emitting from the pit, one of which had stretched out and wrapped around her ankle. She tried dipping her fingers into the ground, tugging. She tried throwing her right hand out and whispering a spell.

A golden aura enveloped the tentacles, but only for a few seconds. Immediately afterwards, though, they began moving again… except at a much slower pace. However, Zelda still wasn't able to easily break her leg free. She tried reaching down and pulling off the tentacle with her hands, but it still wouldn't budge.

That is, at least, until Relm swung her blade down and cut deep into the vine, green ooze spilling forth onto the ground. The piece around Zelda's leg loosened and she was able to regaining her footing, but suddenly more of the tentacles spilled from the pit, pulling the creature up out.

A large flower-like head, sickly green, with red markings around it, peered up out of the depths, opening its mouth and screaming out at them, drips of saliva spewing onto the ground, some of which even sticking to Relm and Zelda, much to their annoyance. Sharp teeth were visible around the edges of its mouth, and a single tongue-like attachment with an eye at the end that was also visible upon it.

Relm gritted her teeth, glaring at the creature. "Well, she's pretty…" she remarked, sarcastically.

Sheila raced towards Navi, hovering high in the air. She saw the ball light, the aura around the fairy's body, and focused solely on that, trying not to lose her. "Navi, don't, please! You can't stop her, and you know that."

Navi narrowed her eyes, nodding her head. "At least I can delay her…"

"But—" Sheila interjected, "what if… we could find another way… Maybe…"

Saria was slightly surprised when she noticed that the fairy had disappeared again. No matter; it wouldn't be much longer. They couldn't possibly hold out. She turned her eyes back to the large plant that had pulled itself out of the pit she herself had create, smiling as she watched the two over there try to fight it.

She snickered, eyes narrow. "Pitiful."

Relm ducked forward, slashing up with her scimitar across the beast's neck. Before it slammed its head back down again and tried to chomp down on her, she rolled to the side to avoid the strike. A golden aura enveloped the creature briefly before Zelda came in with Relm's dagger and slashed across the same spot that Relm herself had hit before, and then Zelda too ducked away.

The beast clearly was a plant of some sort, but what, Relm could not fathom. The flower-like head was actually attached to an elongated neck-like portion, a sickly brown-ish green along the bottom with small rivets over its back, red along the edging of each 'rivet.' The main body barely fit into the bit, and bulged out in various spots, covered in green scale-like coverings, with red strips amidst the gaps.

"So," Saria laughed, "you've met my lovely Diababa, hmm?" she asked in a sly voice, slowly approaching them from her position.

Relm flipped backwards through the air as one of the creatures tentacles lashed out at her. She planted her two feet on top of it, and then flipped up to her right side, just underneath the "Diababa's" neck, kicking with both her feet simultaneously, and then using her quick reflexes to rebound off of the creature, flipping backwards and slashing across its neck, leaving a large gash in its side bleeding green ooze.

The red-haired girl at last landed back down on her two feet again… but suddenly felt the ground pushed her upwards, sending her rolling backwards some more across the ground, before finally collapsing. She looked up and saw that another one of the Diababa's tentacles had stuck itself beneath the ground and then uprooted when she stood on the spot. It lashed down at her, but she rolled to the left to avoid the strike.

Zelda quickly ran over to Relm and helped her up, but another tentacle split them apart yet again. Relm was thrown up the mound to her left and up to the edge of the grove, while Zelda fell backwards in the opposite direction, where the entrance to the Temple of Time had been before.

Relm pushed herself onto her knees and dusted herself off. She turned her head upwards, but suddenly stopped.

Princess Zelda stood to her feet, watching Relm, wondering what the red-haired one had seen. Relm simply stared directly in front of where she stood, unmoving, muscles tense. Zelda ran across to see what was wrong, and as she climbed up the mound on the other side, she suddenly felt exactly the same way Relm felt.

Queen Zelda lay at the center of the cage of vines, lying on the ground, unmoving. Numerous other vines and roots had encased her body, dug up underneath her skin, sealing her to the ground. Her eyes were open, unblinking. Her head lay on its side, looking off to their left, which was north. Her hands rested together in front of her body. Despite the gruesome circumstances leading to her death, she seemed to be at peace.

The princess's expression was one more of shock than anything else. She had seen her mother lying there before, but never got a close enough look. She was stunned, and was saddened by her mother's death. Slight rage lingered in her mind against Saria, but she didn't let it consume her. She just knew that the girl had to be stopped, at any cost. However, revenge wasn't what she sought. She simply wanted justice.

Relm, on the other hand, was a different story. She held her hand clenched tightly around her scimitar, shaking violently. Her eyes were closed, and she held her teeth clenched together, trying not to scream out all of her emotions that she now felt. Anger. Rage. Fear. Sorrow. Sadness. And Hatred. Pure, unending hatred, beyond anything she had ever felt or thought in her lifetime.

She was always well-kept and holding her emotions to herself. Relm was raised up by the Sheikah, and she never had a reason to feel anything. Emotions were only a burden. They held you back; put you down. Perhaps this was the reason she was kept isolated all her life. She surely had hated her mother for leaving her, but she still felt enmity and jealousy for her sister, whom actually had a mother. Now when she finally found her mother, she had been taken away just as quickly. Relm never even had much time to spend with her; to get to know her. And she never would.

"Such… an unfortunate soul… I tried to save her; don't think I didn't. She just… was too stubborn for her own good."

Saria stood behind them, scepter in hand, smiling. Relm quickly spun her head around, glaring profusely, unable to turn her eyes away. The harder Relm stared, the wider Saria's smile grew.

In an instant, Relm was gone. She dashed down the slope and swung her blade upwards, across the scepter. Saria was pushed back by the heavy blow, but she was unharmed. Relm struck once, twice more, three times… Every time, she hit harder, blow for blow. Never was she able to strike skin, but she tried to.

She had taken a high shot, but Saria threw her arms up, blocking with the scepter. She tried taking the sage's legs out from under her, but Saria merely ducked to the side. Relm didn't care about remembering her techniques, her skills… she just flung her blade wildly, trying to take Saria down in anyway she possibly could.

Finally, Zelda rushed out into the fray, crying out with tears in her eyes. "Relm, stop! You can't… Revenge doesn't solve anything!"

Relm ignored her sister's pleas and swung her blade forward. Saria simply dodged right, though, Relm's left. She jabbed Relm in the side with the bottom of the scepter and blood seeped out from just above the red-haired girl's waist. Had her clothes not been blood-red already, they would have been stained.

Saria laughed, planting the staff into the ground. "You ought to listen to her," she finally commented. "I don't want to kill you… but you just keep getting in my way."

Zelda ran over to Relm, sliding down to her knees, tending to Relm's wound. She placed her hand above the tear in her side and whispered a quick spell. The bleeding stopped, but it was still bad. Relm herself, on the other hand, had given up fighting. She lay on the ground, her head on its side. She tried to hide it, but she was crying. Tears soaked the ground, and her face.

The forest sage crossed her arms, nodding contently. "You people… Why can't you understand that the only way to end this, end all fighting and violence… is to lay yourselves down…? I can stop it… but it only makes things harder when you try and fight me. I admire you, and all the others, but this is something I cannot let go of."

Zelda turned her head back up to Saria, again, the green-haired girl standing a few feet away, the demonic scepter in her hand. "I don't know how you can spew this nonsense from your mouth!" she yelled out, tears pouring from her eyes, but she didn't care. "Just shut the hell up; I don't want to hear it! You've gone insane; or perhaps you were insane from the start, I do not know. But you can't just betray us and expect us to trust you! Some of the things you say may reach into the heart, but the truth doesn't lie therein. Conquering to prevent others from conquering only makes you just as bad as those who do it out of self-gain."

Saria closed her eyes, sighing. She pulled her hood back over her head again and turned to her left, walking away. As she walked, she spoke. "It's a pity… I truly didn't want to have to do this, but I've given you enough chances."

Zelda watched as Saria walked back to the giant plant demon, Diababa. She patted the side of its neck, and almost like a kitten, it nudged against her, clearly tamed by her presence, yet sickening to Zelda's eyes. Saria nodded her head, motioning back to Zelda and Relm. "Finish them."

Diababa appeared to lick its mouth, almost as if it was hungry. It eyed Zelda, and she watched as its tentacles pressured into the ground, clearly moving towards them to pull them into its grasp, and into its mouth. She didn't react, though. She stayed with Relm, making sure that the wound did not open up again, and simply waited for the tendrils to pull her in.

"Now, Navi!" Sheila called out from the other end, launching an arrow from her bow.

Zelda was surprised when she saw the red ball of light flying at the end of the arrow. At the last second it jumped off, a glowing light emitting from the head. It struck dead-on with Diababa's head, the holy energy obliterating it, causing its head to fall off, vanishing into darkness upon hitting the ground, followed by its body down into the pit.

Saria gasped at how easily her pet had been destroyed. She turned around when she heard a whistling and saw another arrow coming her way, the tip glowing bright gold. She threw the scepter up in front of her body, a black aura of power flowing out in front of her. The arrow simply passed straight through, though, slamming into her body.

"Ahhh!" Saria cried out, dropping the scepter as she reached to hold her left shoulder, gritting her teeth. She was not a being of darkness, so the light didn't do any significant damage to her. Not anymore than a regular arrow would have, at least. However, the arrow of light still was able to pierce the shield of darkness that she had put up around her. The scepter was powerless against the light.

Sheila moved a few feet closer and pulled out another arrow. Navi flew up into the sky, raising her hands above her to imbue the arrow with more light energy. Sheila let go and the projectile shot straight towards Saria once again. However, this one did not hit its mark.

The vines from the southern side of the encasing pulled apart from the wall, the ends stretching outwards into the air and swiping down upon Navi. It came so fast that she didn't even know what had hit her. She lost her bearing and crashed into the ground, rolling a few feet, dazed. Had she not been very versatile to damage, the attack would've cracked every bone in her body.

The arrow that had been shot from Sheila's bow transformed into a flower in the air and fell harmlessly to the ground. Sheila ditched her spot, dropping her bow on the ground and racing over to the fading ball of light. Navi lay on the ground, her aura now gone, still tiny with long, wide wings spread out behind her. Sheila picked Navi up and held her in her arms, crying.

Saria stood up, furious. She walked forward, and as she did so, more plants extended out from the ground around her. A thorned circlet formed and was placed on her head by a tree as she continued walking to the center. Her old clothes twisted and writhed, wrenched off her body by the vines that grew beneath, gently twisting themselves together into a long, flowing dress, reaching down to her ankles. Her boots also tore off, replaced by light slippers formed of the plants of the earth, a thorn stretching from the bottom back, like a long heel.

At last, the forest sage stopped in the center of the field, stretching her arms out to her sides, turning to the sky. Vines spread out around her, wrapping over her body, hanging down from her shoulders and tightening over her hands, almost like silk. More vines came up over her hand and twisted around into her hair, tying it neatly into a long woven braid. Two actual trees, as well, fastened themselves to the ground and their branches melded together between them, rising up from underneath her.

Saria snickered, sitting now upon her own personal throne, her beauty showing down upon the infidels before her. She raised her right hand in front of her, gripping the handle of the scepter tightly, and twisting it onto its side. "Bow down before your new queen!"

Relm sat up, slightly dazed, staring back at Saria. Suddenly, she remembered her anger and she narrowed her eyes. Zelda sat nearby, her tension rising. "I wish Link were here…" she muttered.

Instantly, a bright light stabbed through the wall on the west side. A circular motion etched into it, coming around like a doorway. The light reached the ground, but the passed did not open. Suddenly, the entire plant wall on that side deformed, twisting and writing, sickly gushers spewing down onto the ground. It shrank down and crumbled into dust, all except the small circular section that had been cut open by none other than Link himself, which he promptly just kicked down. "You called?"

All three of the other facades also collapsed, angering Saria. She turned her eyes, staring in all directions. "What is this?!"

Arrows fired from the depths behind her… small, makeshift arrows, made of deku wood. She raised an eyebrow and glanced back.

A great multitude of Kokiri, from all reaches of the forest, stood with bows in hand, firing one after another. In front of the entire pack was Fado, the Guardian Fairy of the Forest. She also saw that amidst them were the others from the Kokiri Forest at the foot of Death Mountain, near to the Great Deku Tree's meadow.

Saria stepped down from her newly made throne and turned to her left, eyes narrow, blood boiling.

_Link._

"Sorry I'm late," Link remarked, stepping into the field. Behind him, more archers appeared, these being the humans from Ordon Village, led by Chief Karnak. Saria simply raised the scepter in front of her and blocked all the projectiles with her dark shield.

Link laughed. "Took me a while to figure out how to break down those walls… and by the time I did, I met a few friends who came to help."

"Unbelievable…" another voice behind Link called out. "So… she really WAS the cause of it all along… Perhaps we should've let Volvagia swallow her into his belly."

_Baask._

Zelda and Relm stood up, racing over to the western edge, gasping for breath. "Link!" they both called out.

More arrow volleys came from the south. Saria winced, glaring at them. From behind she heard a male voice call out, screaming at the top of his lungs. "THIS IS FOR SARIA!"

Saria raised an eyebrow, turning around and raising up her scepter just as the boy launched himself into the air and slammed his pole down onto the scepter. Instantly, he gasped in surprise. "No… you… it… can't be…"

_Mido._

She flung him off to the side and Mido rolled across the ground. He at last stopped, unmoving. Clearly, he didn't like what he had seen.

"Link, you have to help her; she's badly wounded!" Sheila cried out, still holding Navi in her arms.

A man walked out from the edge of the grove, looking down at the fairy. "Let me take a look…" he stated. "I think Link has other business he must attend to."

Saria turned her eyes back and locked them on with his. She sneered.

_Daphnes._

More arrow flurries shot across the field, but none of them harmed Saria. Link also walked out into their midst, avoiding every single shot, without even trying. "Its over, Saria. You can't hide behind that scepter forever. Its time to put it away; you have to understand that what you're doing is wrong. I've given up hoping that you're just going to turn away, though. If you won't lay it down, I will do it myself."

"Saria, I know you… and this isn't you!" another voice called out. "I've known you longer than anyone else here. You've got a demon inside you, manipulating your thoughts… that demon is you, your darkness, the evil within your heart. You're the only one that can account for your actions. You must put a stop to it, now!"

Saria heard the voice and recognized it, hearing it grow louder and louder gradually. She turned her eyes to the left, nodding her head. That certainly brought back memories.

_Nala._

"She's yours, isn't she?" Link asked. "Or at least she was. Until you left the forest. However, you didn't do wrong in leaving the forest. All Kokiri have a choice to leave, and you made that choice. Your only mistake was entering into that forest, and taking the scepter… You wanted power, didn't you?"

She looked down upon the staff in her hand, and then back up to Link, shifting her eyes mid-stride to Nala, her former guardian fairy. Was it truly the power she coveted?

Nala stood a few feet away, looking up to Saria. The other Kokiri behind stared, watching, bewildered. Not even they had known that the so-called 'Sorceress' was really Saria. "You can still stop this, Saria. You can end it, right here, right now. Just put the scepter down."

Saria narrowed her eyes, glancing up at the people from Ordon, over to the group of Hylian soldiers led by King Daphnes, and then to Impa, a number of about fifteen Sheikah warriors behind her, and lastly to Baask, Nabooru, Princess Zelda, Sheila, Relm, and Navi. Finally, she turned back to Link and Nala, simply smiling.

Tossing her hand back, she let the staff slip between her fingers, allowing it to roll on the ground. It stopped at the bottom of the mound on the east side, coming to a complete halt.

Instantly, Saria pulled out the Kokiri Sword from her sheath and lunged it at Link. Much to her surprise and astonishment, Nala leaped in the way, taking the full force of the attack directly to her stomach. Saria gasped out in surprise.

"I'm sorry… Saria…" Nala began. "I knew that this was my time… And I hoped… that in death, I could return you life…"

Nala, the young fairy, vanished into the air. In appearance, she had looked only like a young girl, a child… yet she was very mature, and strong. She knew Saria better that Saria even knew herself. And now, she was gone.

Saria narrowed her eyes, gritting her teeth. "You think that will stop me?"

Link smiled. "I can hope, can't I?"


	40. The Ultimate Power

_**Author's Note(s)**_: Whew... About time, huh? Yes, much apologies for the long delays. What was it, like, 3 months? I've just been really busy...meh... Anyway, two more after this one, and then at the end of it all, I'll also add in a final snippet with a teaser chapter of "The Demon Within," plus I'll answer any questions you have about this story posted in Chapter 42. I don't know when I'll finish 41 and 42, but I hope to get it done soon.

Oh, and by the way, over the past week I finally was able to start working on the Dark Horizons game. I'm gonna go through and add in all the information in the database, and after that I'll work on re-doing much of the progress I already made, as well as a number of scripts. Watch my deviantART Account, and of course, watch these chapter updates for information. I may be able to get a demo running in about a month (but don't take that for granted; I got a lot more going on than just that), so stay tuned for that, as well.

Now, enjoy this chapter. I didn't actually like including some of the other things I did here (such as bringing in the Knights of Hyrule and others to this secluded area), but what's done is done, and I worked around it. In the end, I like how it turned out (due note that the ending was finished over the past few days, while the rest was done three months ago, so it might be a little off-key; when you see Nabooru speaking near the end, that's where I continued off from on Wednesday the 29th, and then I finished it yesterday).

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 40: The Ultimate Power**_

Link charged forward, swinging his mighty blade, the Master Sword, up through the air and down upon the forest sage. Saria stood there and held her ground, bringing up the Kokiri Sword in her defense, gripping it tightly with both hands. The two blades locked firmly before Saria rolled around to the left, Link doing the same.

However, the Hero of Time pushed himself into the air, while Saria charged underneath, slashing across his left leg, wounding him. Link collapsed to the ground, gritting his teeth. Relm raced down the slope a few feet before she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Link!" she yelled out.

"You're still too weak!" Navi shot back, standing beside the red-haired girl. "You need a break. The Knights of Hyrule can deal with this."

Link quickly regained his footing, still bleeding in his leg, but dealing with the pain. His lip now bled slightly, too, but he paid no heed to that. To his left, he heard marching, and he glanced over to see a great number of soldiers amassing behind Daphnes, primarily men, but with a few women mixed in with them, as well.

"NO!" Link screamed out, staring at the soldiers. "This is MY fight!"

Saria snickered, glancing to her left, raising her left hand up. The Scepter of Darkness shifted in the grass briefly, before at last it came up off the ground and into her hand. "You're all too much… I'm sorry, but I have to do this…" she proclaimed, raising the scepter up with her hand. "One cannot maintain order when they who wage war refuse to stand down!"

The Scepter struck the ground, hard. Tremors of the earth quaked beneath their feet and a crack stretched across the grove, opening up beneath the plant-made throne and splitting along the center of the pass, straight underneath the now-dead queen, and wrapping around the mound where the Pedestal of the Master Sword still lay.

The ground opened up a few inches; a bottomless pit beneath. Numerous accursed vines were still visible in the midst, preventing the objects above the place where the ground once was from collapsing into it. Both Zelda and Saria's own "throne" were encased in the vines, and were not at all affected by the creation of the ravine.

"What in the world?!" Mido cried out, still stunned by seeing the face of the Sorceress, and having not moved since. Now he moved, though, jumping to his feet and backing away toward the new hole in the ground, nearly a foot wide.

Arrows began to launch across the field, but large trees stepped in front of the path, moving in the way of the incoming fire. The menacing plants uprooted themselves due to the power of the Forest Sage, not the power of the Scepter of Darkness, and began to walk, attacking the Hylian Soldiers and the Soldiers of Ordon. Others stood in front of the Kokiri, but they did not attack.

Immediately, Link charged towards Saria, wielded the Master Sword tightly in his hands. The powers collided as clouds began to move in overhead, flashing brightly with jolts of lightning shining through the darkness. Steel crossed nature; light crossed dark. Sparks of energy glistened between the holy blade of evil's bade and the menacing scepter of darkness.

A bolt of lightning struck the ground nearby, while another struck a tree as the rain poured down from the sky, making the ground soft and moist. Out from the earth, roots pulled up, sprouting sickly plant-like monsters, and in other places, the skeletal remains of wild beasts of the forest. A zombie wolf howled and charged up the slope, before twin scimitars cut it to pieces, held tightly intact by the long-haired, dark-skinned woman of the desert.

This entire calamity around did not stop the two at the center, though, whom continued to strike blow for blow. Saria both defended and attacked with the scepter, but sometimes slashed out with the Kokiri Sword to distract Link. The Hero of Time, on the other hand, had no shield this time, so he fought solely with the Master Sword, which was not only powerful, but it was also long and sharp, proving to be useful on both offense and defense.

While many of the larger demons surrounding the field targeted the soldiers and warriors, all of them avoided the Kokiri entirely. Some of the smaller monsters did attack the Kokiri, but primarily as a simple distraction, and mainly consisting only of Deku Shrubs. Many of the shrubs popped up, though, and numerous Kokiri-made arrows struck them down one at a time, piercing their small wooden bodies.

Still wounded, but functioning properly, the red-haired girl, second and lost princess of Hyrule, charged forward with both hands on the hilt of the scimitar, hanging down on the left side of her body. She ran a few feet in front of her, at the edge of the mound leading out to the west side of the grove, where one of the large trees had maneuvered from the north. She quickly swung up and round to her right, faster than the lightning in the sky struck ground, cutting off the left branch acting as a 'hand' for the treant.

Nearby, a few feet to the east of the large plant throne created by Saria, the two powers fought on again, flashing their bright, glowing weapons across one another. The first, the legendary Master Sword, sent flashes of light across the field, piercing the darkness. The second, the Scepter of Darkness, was glowing deep purple, endowed with dark powers.

Link jumped into the air and swung hard down on top of Saria, but she held the scepter up with one hand and stabbed Link in the left shoulder with the Kokiri Sword while he came back down again. The Hero of Time, gritted his teeth, but swiftly switched his sword to his right hand and cut up passed Saria, so fast that she only had time to duck while the blade cut her cheek.

Saria turned away momentarily to take in a breath of air. Link too stopped, falling back to the ground to attend to his wound, and breathing heavily.

Meanwhile, the fighting on all other fronts did not cease. Relm kept trying to break past the treant to get to Saria, but she kept finding herself cornered by a number of other creatures of the woods that chose to follow her. After ducking beneath a swing of the other limb, she heard soft footsteps behind followed by a large growl. She quickly spun around, her hair flowing out behind her, drenched in the rain, and stabbed the scimitar directly into the heart of a wolfos—and a live one, too. Blood soaked its fur as Relm removed the blade and the wolf collapsed into the grass.

Daphnes, on the other hand, primarily directed his troops to target the treants, and he himself entered into the fray with his own blade and fought on hard, slicing the head of a Deku Baba in half and then proceeding to fight back a series of stalfos which crawled up from the depths of the earth. He spun his right leg up and around, knocking the undead monster back, before swinging his large, mighty sword up and across the skeletal warrior's shield, shattering it.

Suddenly, one of the treants caught Daphnes off guard, hitting him in the back and knocking him to the ground. The stalfos came in and raised its weapon, but twin long knives cut through it, destroying the beast. Impa helped Daphnes up again and the King of Hyrule was able to turn back and catch the next attack with his blade while burning arrows shot through the air from the troops of Ordon.

"So much death… All for a simple thing…" Saria remarked, looking out upon the fighting. Many Hylian soldiers were badly wounded or even dead, while others only had minor scrapes. A few Ordonians had also fallen, but not nearly as many as the Hylians. Not a single Kokiri had fallen, though.

The forest sage then felt a blade up to her neck. She glanced to her right, feeling the softness of her long hair upon her back. "You can stop it, you know." Link stated, his hand gripping the blade firmly. "You created them, did you not? Throw down the scepter. Destroy it. Break free from the deathly hole you've dug yourself into. You can do it. You can stop the fighting. Lay down your weapon."

Saria twisted her body backwards and flipped up into the air, landing on her two feet again, sword in her right hand, and the scepter in her left. "And what about you?! YOU can do the same! You tell me to lay down my arms, yet all I want is to bring peace. However, you idiots just won't accept that! Why can't you lay down your weapons; end all this violence?! We won't need to have this violence if you'd just stop!"

Link sighed. "How many times have you been told the reason, yet you're too stubborn to admit it? Evil people don't CARE about what anyone else thinks. They'll go out of their way to cause violence, death, and destruction in the first place. So we're just supposed to stand by while they slaughter us mercilessly?! What about Ganondorf? He tried to overthrow Hyrule at any cost. Had we not stood up and fight, we would never have had the freedoms we have. He could throw any of us to the pits of hell and wouldn't think twice about it!"

Nabooru spun in a wide circle, slashing through numerous monsters of death that had built up around her. She suddenly heard another behind, and with swift reflexes spun in a wide arc, only to see a blade up to her neck. The creature stopped there, though, and did not move. It fell to the ground when Baask removed his spear from its gut, smiling. "Need a little help?"

"You've learned fast," she laughed. "Now let's take care of—"

A screeching cry bellowed out from the north. Relm suddenly collapsed to her knees, gripping her left shoulder, biting her lip until it bled, wanting to scream out to make the pain stop. She looked up, beyond the treant, fear once again returning to her eyes. The twisted shape of the zombie monster, the walking dead, appeared before her eyes.

Two arrows swiftly struck the ReDead, one after another. The first struck the left arm, sticking through the rotting skin, and the other hit the right shoulder. Sheila raced down the field and came up beside Relm. She grabbed a small stone of the ground and struck it against the tip of an arrow in just the right way, lighting the end on fire.

She turned and aimed up at the treant hovering over them, beginning to throw its hands down onto them. The white-haired girl let the arrow fly and it struck high up, burning away at its head. After the arrow struck, a long chain wrapped around the monster's body, pulling it down to the ground, just in front of the ReDead that slowly approached.

Zelda turned down to Relm, nodding her head. "Are you alright?"

Relm winced, but nodded. She stood up again, turning to the zombie. "I won't feel that humiliation ever again," she spoke, before jumping onto the trunk of the tree and into the air.

"No!" Zelda cried out, fearing for her sister's life.

The red-haired girl was truly that stubborn, though. She never took no for an answer, and always went her own way. Just the way she'd been raised. She slashed across the ReDead's chest with the scimitar, landed on the ground passed it, and turned back, swinging her blade several more times. The creature was very versatile and it did not feel pain. Despite Relm's several attacks, no visible wounds appeared on its body. But it still collapsed to the ground, returning to the grave from whence it came.

Relm balanced the back side of her sword on her right shoulder, nodding. "That's how you do it."

Deeper in the woods, another pack of wolfos raced in to join the fight. They bit and clawed at the soldiers, wounding several. Navi quickly finished her spell on the soldier she currently stood above and ran over to help the other wounded, already beginning to whisper the words of the magic healing.

Arrows fired in from the Ordonians, and several Kokiri also had come around to assist. A number of the wolfos fell, and more were taken down by the other Hylian soldiers. Navi entered in and knelt down by one of the wounded, a young woman with bright blue eyes, brown-red hair, and slightly tanned skin. The fairy looked her over and found the bite down on the woman's left leg, in a small spot where the armor was weakened. Another bite was on her arm.

The woman gritted her teeth, sitting up as Navi tended to the wound. "Magic never really was something I enjoyed the feel of," she remarked, "but it does help, especially when a doctor isn't around."

Navi laughed. "You'll be alright. It's not that bad."

The soldier rolled her eyes, sighing. "Figures… and I was trying to prove myself, too. I was barely able to get into the army as is."

"Not a lot of women, huh?" the fairy asked. "Don't worry about it. Your wounds aren't severe, but they are many. What's your name?"

She nodded her head. "Maya… Maya Leudona."

Navi smiled and stood up, walking away. Maya also stood up. "I'm sure you'll be duly rewarded for your efforts. You've clearly fought valiantly."

Maya smiled. "Thank you."

Feeling a little better, the soldier glanced around and saw more of the monsters coming. Nodding to herself, she chose to rush into the fight, not willing to let small wounds keep her from her duty. She cut her blade across a stalfos, slashing it in two, and took down several more undead before another horde of wolfos came rushing in, this time with Bokoblins riding on their backs.

Arrows shot across the field at the Wolfos, but then others snuck up behind the Ordonians and began to take them down. The Hylian fighters quickly rushed over to assist, but had it not been for two cloaked women hidden in the trees above, ducking into the midst and cutting down the Wolfos Riders with long, thin steel knives, not many of the woodsmen would've survived.

"This is ridiculous! Don't you understand what you're doing?!" Link blurted out, sword in hand, staring into Saria's eyes.

Saria, standing a few feet away, simply smiled. "I'm sorry, Link, but it seems that _you're_ the one who doesn't understand… I guess it just wasn't meant to be."

The Hero of Time gritted his teeth. Finally, he realized there was no choice. Link rushed forward, pulling his mighty sword back. Two feet, one… instantly, he launched himself into the air, directly over Saria, much to her surprise. She held the Scepter up to deflect the attack, but none came.

The forest sage spun around startled. "Where did you—"

"Hah!"

The sword came down so fast that she didn't even know what had hit her. Or what had supposed to hit her, at least. A small boy, nearly half her size, and jumped up in front of the blade and held a thick wooden pole between the blade and his body. A small cape hung down behind him, green, with the tunic of the Kokiri beneath. He wore brown, leather boots on his feet. His face was pudgy; stretched out on either side, and he had a pointed cap on his hand. All of his clothes were green.

Apparently, Link had jumped over Saria as a distraction, but then quickly rolled around to her left side before she had a chance to react. She turned around looking along her right side, but Link had slipped off in the opposing direction, just in time to startle her… but not even he had counted on the boy.

Link groaned. "Mido? What the hell are you doing?!"

Mido narrowed his eyes, staring up at Link, not fazed by the fact that the so-called 'Hero of Time' was three times his height. "I don't like you."

The teenage boy gritted his teeth, pulling his sword back away from Mido's pole. "Well, I don't really like you, either, but don't you know—"

The Kokiri snickered, winking, and motioning his head back. Link raised an eyebrow.

Saria stood with her arms crossed and eyes closed, turned away. "Hmph… I've had enough of this foolishness…" she opened her eyelids again and glanced left. "I think its about time…"

"To end this?!" Link snapped back, lunging down upon her.

The sage placed the scepter between her hands and put the full force of her strength against Link's strike. "Heh, is that the best you can do?!"

From behind, she heard another voice, which she had completely forgotten about. She felt the full blunt force from the stick and found herself plummeting face-first into the ground, rolling a few feet away.

Mido snickered. "Aren't you tired of using lame catchphrases? First of all, NEVER say 'is that the best you can do.' Second, how many times have you said 'its time to end this?' As I've heard from a few of your friends, you've already made that comment a number of times already, and furthermore—"

Saria stood up, shaking her head. "Pitiful… You know what?" she turned around, her face bruised and scarred. The pain she felt in her back was also minimal. "I never really did like you, either. I always thought you were a pompous, elitist snob caring only for yourself and your personal desires. I tried to be nice to you… but you have continually been an annoyance, and now even a thorn in my side."

The boy merely shrugged his shoulders. "Who isn't, now? We don't see eye to eye, apparently. You've now 'seen the light,' and think that your way is the only way, so you're going to shove it down the throats of everyone and force-feed your message to them. Is that the proper way to show how you feel about things?"

Link, standing a few feet away, didn't really like what he was hearing. He glanced to his left, towards where Mido stood. "Um… I don't think that's going to help," the hero of time remarked, speaking in a low tone so as to try and keep Saria from hearing.

It didn't matter if she heard or not, though. Mido didn't listen to reason. And he especially didn't listen to Link. Of course, though, only those three knew what was going on. Everyone else was distracted by the monsters that kept rushing out into the fray, including Relm. However, she did happen to glance over and notice Saria remove the Kokiri Sword, again.

"So, what do you expect of me? I can just kill you right now, you know… Link, he's another story. He's got the powers of the Gods on his side. But you, Mido… You do not."

Relm ran ahead a bit, but suddenly heard a noise from behind. She spun around just in time to see a wolfos lunging at her… a blade stuck through its hard. The long knife pulled out from the beast and it crumbled to the ground, one of Impa's trained Sheikah assassins standing behind it. "If you wish to go, then go! I'll watch your back."

The red-haired girl smiled, nodding. "Thank you."

Instinctively, she make a quick one-eighty, her hair twirling up behind her, pulling at the braid she had tied into it before. She held the Gerudo Scimitar tightly in her right hand, running forward along the grass towards where Saria was beginning to corner the Kokiri kid, with Link edging around in a circular motion, ready to pounce at any second.

As Saria began to edge forward, Mido backed away. He knew he couldn't take her on, despite his strong-will, but he had hoped to at least distract her long enough to give someone else a shot at striking out at the insane sage. However, he hit a roadblock. Or more so, lack of a road. The rift in the earth created by Saria was still there, and he had stepped up to its edge.

Saria snickered. "No place to run… Looks like you might as well just face it. You've lost. Sorry, Mido. Its my game, now."

Mido shook his head, glancing up behind Saria, and then down to his left. "It isn't over until its over…"

Instantly, the boy dashed left, along the gorge, and curving back to maneuver around to Saria's right side. However, he didn't get far. Vines erupted from the earth and shot straight up, blocking his path. It didn't matter much to him, though. He turned back and ran in the opposite direction, only for the same result.

He backed away, again, and noticed that Saria hadn't stopped moving in all this. He gritted his teeth, narrowing his eyes. _'Here's hoping this works out…'_

Elsewhere, Daphnes watched as more monsters began to pour in around them. He knew why this was a prime target, too. For one, Saria was here. She was the one leading them, or so he assumed, and so was Link. Link was the final target, but the other seven sages were also targets. Nabooru and Impa had managed to escape and were now here. Plus, the King of Hyrule was also standing here.

As such, it was very clear as to why another horde of wolfos rushed into the midst. Even more of an annoyance, though, was the fact that the fallen soldiers of Hyrule began to rise back from the ground, now only fragments of their past selves… living dead, zombies, reborn to life by the evil powers in that god-damned scepter.

Arrows launched all over the place; some coming from bokoblins, while others coming from Kokiri and Ordonian bows. And a number of both have fallen, too, despite the restraints put on by Saria. She didn't want to see any of her kin fall, apparently. However, she didn't count on them actually willingly fight for their cause. A number of them raced in to help the 'big people,' wanting to be more than just 'kids.' They fought courageously, too, and still are.

Regardless of what currently was happening, though, he cared not for it. Who wants fighting and violence? Daphnes sure didn't, and not many other people did, either. However, Saria had brought exactly what she had wanted to quench. Whatever thoughts had entered into her head, they were at fault. Perhaps the scepter amplified her emotions, but whatever happened, she still had the choice to back down.

But she did not.

Perhaps Link could stop her without resulting in her death. But that was not likely. She had made her bed, and now it was time to put it all to rest. It had to come to an end. If only Link himself would realize that, though… He may have been able to finish it a long time ago, but he was too stubborn, wanting only to stop her without the shedding of blood. It was now too late for that.

A wolfos suddenly jumped up at Daphnes from behind, but he paid no mind to it. An arrow hit the beast in its neck, knocking it down, but it jumped up again, not giving in to the pain. Then a chain wrapped around its body and it was dragged helplessly down to the ground. It writhed in pain, until Sheila stepped up next to it and shot another arrow into its head, ending the suffering.

"Father, are you alright?" Zelda asked, running past Sheila.

He nodded his head. "Pay no mind to me," he stated, motioning towards a group of soldiers taking down a treant, led by one of the few female members of the army, "The Knights of Hyrule are here. Watch your own back, though. I fear for your safety."

"Sheila! Zelda! Are you hurt?" another voice called out, running towards them.

Sheila gasped, running forward, hugging the girl tightly. "Navi! You're back! Are you injured?"

Navi shook her head. "No, I'm fine… I've been trying my best to help the wounded, but its growing unsteady out there. The monsters are growing at an extraordinary rate, despite how much we've been fighting. It seems like there's no end to them… How could Saria do all this?"

Daphnes shook his head. "That's because it's Saria doing it… The Scepter of Darkness has a mind of its own. The will of the scepter is of the demon that was sealed inside of it long ago. I talked with Malon about your encounter at the ranch… You remember what happened to Ingo?"

Zelda lowered her head, turning it to the side. "Y-yes… I do…"

"I never thought of that…" Sheila remarked. "Saria did that…?"

He shook his head. "I'm not going to say that Saria isn't at fault for what she has done, but she has been somewhat manipulated herself. That item is well-known for causing chaos, and when one who has submitted to the powers within is killed, their spiritual energies are absorbed into it, empowering the one who controls it…"

Navi narrowed her eyes. "That's insane…"

"Yes, but its true, at least if I've been reading this manuscripts right. We still need to learn more about it, though… First, we have to stop her, and then we must—"

Zelda quickly leveled her head, staring straight ahead, her face pale. "I just thought of something… where is Relm?!"

"Take this, you witch!" the female voice called out from behind Saria. The sage simply turned around, watching as Relm came down upon her. She smirked, stepping aside while the red-haired girl rolled passed and onto the ground.

"No!" Link called out.

Zelda stared in disbelief, racing down the slope, slipping past the hordes of monsters and soldiers fighting, Navi and Sheila in tow. "RELM!"

Saria pulled out the Kokiri Sword, staring down upon the girl lying on the ground. She stepped forward, slowly, impatiently. Relm regained her footing, jumping back to her feet, blade in hand. Mido ran forward, ready to take the blow for the girl. She ducked from the first swing, but the sage simply pulled back, both hands held tightly to the blade.

Relm gasped, surprised by the quick speed. She hadn't seen it coming… or _him_.

Link cried out in pain, having only seconds ago pushed Relm down to the ground and into Mido, whom was about to do the same thing. The Kokiri Sword stuck out of his side, and he collapsed to his knees, dropping the Master Sword onto the ground at his left. Blood soaked his tunic, seeping out from his side onto the ground.

He felt dazed… weak… Pulse racing, mind darkening… He blinked once, then twice. He didn't know what he was doing. Everything became a distorted mess. He felt the hilt of the blade and pulled it out, wincing in pain. He dropped it, too, onto the ground, and tightened both hands against the wound. Red liquid covered his hands, and the ground beneath him, as well.

Relm was stunned beyond all belief. She tried to speak, but she couldn't. She tried to move, but she was frozen in place. She could only watch in horror as Link collapsed completely to the ground, curling up slightly in a fetal position. He did not cry, but she could tell on his face that he was in great pain. He held his hands to the wound, but he was clearly fading from consciousness…

Green clothes merged down into the bloody mess. The bottom of a rod was set down into the red pool, and a hand reached out to Link, touching his side. Tears seeped from weeping eyes upon the nigh-lifeless body. "So… it has come to this… this is the price paid, Link… but it is a worthy price…" she choked up, crying more now. "I'm sorry it had to happen, but it cannot be undone… Don't worry, Link… your sacrifice won't be in vain… I will use the Triforce to end all violence… end all death, destruction, and bloodshed… You will be remembered… Don't forget that…"

Zelda stopped a few feet away, but she knew she was too late. She dropped to her knees, crying. Relm was safe… for now. But Link was gone. He wasn't coming back. No one, not even one with the power of the Triforce, could possibly survive all that blood loss. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and glanced up to see Sheila standing there, crying also.

As Saria kneeled there, next to Link, eyes closed, she heard a small humming sound. She opened her eyes again, looking down to Link's hand. The Triforce symbol glowed brightly, and the glow enhanced… The light glistened, shining brightly amidst the darkness. The triangle shard reflected in her eyes, and she smiling, looking then down to her hand. It, too, glowed, and the two shards came out, merging with the third piece, the Triforce of Courage.

Saria stared at the glowing, holy power emanating from the newly reformed Triforce, nodding. "Yes… it is reformed… One touch and it will grant the heart's desire…"

The three spinning golden triangles at last stopped, merging down to form one larger triangle, made up of the three pieces. Light shone brightly across the field, brighter than the morning sun. Beyond the pedestal of time, a rift in the air opened up, from the ground to the tops of the trees, and spreading out horizontally approximately three feet.

More light glazed across the field, blinding friend and foe alike. The soldiers, the Kokiri, the king, the sages, the beasts, the dead, the trees, the fairies, and all the rest, turned toward the light. Saria, too, did so, watching as the Triforce parted from her, moving up above the Pedestal of Time, where it floated aimlessly in the air.

Then, the enormous door that had appeared suddenly opened wide, with more shimmering, blinding brightness beyond. The golden, holy temple revealed itself, and a lone figure stepped out from the door, wrapped in a brown cloak, a hood over his head. The symbol of the Triforce revealed itself clearly on the front of his garments, which hung down to his ankles.

The man walked, proudly, a few feet forward, standing at the edge of the small island formed by Saria's earthly magic before. Next, though, a rainbow appeared, crossing the path between the spot he stood and the ground beyond. He walked upon it, moving forward and at last stopping at the top of the hill, next to where Zelda was still fastened in position by the ghastly plants.

"Stand down, O sage of the forest… Ye know not what powers ye now reap; what seeds of death ye have sewn. We sages are the protectors of the Triforce. It is not our means to use the Triforce for ourselves. With three come one; apart, they are great, but together, they are more powerful than the strongest magic."

Baask removed his spear from the fallen carcass of a Kargarok and turned his head back to face the source of the light. He saw the old man and heard the words as clear as day. The captain glanced over to the spirit sage standing only three feet to the left of him, eying her.

"Who is this guy?" Baask finally whispered.

Nabooru nodded her head, not turning her eyes away. "He is the oldest and wisest of the seven… Rauru, the Sage of Light. It is not known how old he is, but as he always stays in the Sacred Realm, where time itself does not pass, he may have helped build the very foundations of it. He is wise beyond all our years, and generally takes leadership over the Seven Sages."

Rauru continued speaking, his eyes fixed directly on Saria, approaching her slowly. "It is our duty to guard and watch over the Triforce as it rests within the bounds of the Temple of Light in the holy Sacred Realm. The mystical place was created in aeons past by the first sages after a heart of hatred tried to use the holy power for his own personal gain, seeking dominion by creating a being of immense power in his own image…"

Saria stood her ground, snickering. "And I have found that power?"

The old man shook his head. "No… You have found a piece of that power, broken off from the greater. The ancient demon that he created was locked beneath the surface of the Earth, and the man himself was killed by the creature he had made. However, his cult of followers, the ancient descendants of the Sheikah, tried to gain access to this power… They performed dark rituals, gathering up the powers of the mystical demon into the bounds of an item they had created, and they sought to use this power to overthrow the world… However, it was too much for them, and it consumed them. Cast away into the netherworld, a land of darkness, they were accursed to be locked away in the very darkness they loved."

"Those that remained… they who stayed behind, watching… they gathered up the power and kept it sacred, building a shrine to the demon within in a forbidden place in the far east, the same forest where you first uncovered it. Of those that did not follow the demon, they turned to the ancient ancestors of Hyrule and pledged their service to them for what they had done."

The green one frowned. "So what is this… a guilt trip? The power is there, rightfully so… why not use it? If the power can be used for good or for evil, why can't we end the evil once and for all?"

Rauru shook his head, staring down at the ground. "You never learn, do you? How many times have you been given the answer? How many times have you listened?"

Saria narrowed her eyes, again, staring into the deep blue eyes of the great sage, a few feet in front of Relm, and also in front of Link, still lying on the ground, severely wounded. Mido, Navi, Zelda, and Sheila also watched, as did most of the congregation around.

At last, the forest sage crossed her arms? "So you don't have an answer?" she asked.

The elder sage simply closed his eyes, shaking his head, sighing. From within his cloak, he pulled out a small object, clearly the hilt of a sword, and held it together in both his hands. A golden blade materialized at the front, shining brighter than even the sun, emanating brightly. "You have been told the answer that you seek, but you refuse to listen to the words that have been spoken. Saria, I don't want to do this, but if you do not turn back from this wicked path now, the light of Excalibur will cut you down, and you WILL see your end."

Zelda looked up, startled, using her hand to keep the bright blinding light from piercing her eyes. "No way… Excalibur… exists? I thought it was but myth…"

Navi the fairy, standing nearby, nodded her head, walking up and stopping next to the princess. She had no need to cover her eyes; she merely stood there, staring directly into the light. "It is a blade so holy that the drawing of blood would condemn the wielder to the depths of hell for eternity. It is not like the blade of Evil's Bane, the Master Sword. It cannot destroy evil; it can only draw the darkness out. The most holy of magic reside within that blade."

"I've had enough of this, old man… Just hand over the Triforce!" Saria demanded, taking a few steps forward.

Rauru looked to the ground, closing his eyes, sighing. "Is this the path you have chosen?"

She nodded. "I've made my decision. I've seen enough death and destruction; I'll bring an end to it all."

"By causing more?!" Relm demanded, jumping to her feet. "Is that how things work?"

Saria glanced briefly to her right, but quickly turned away again, snickering. "Heh… You haven't given up yet? Maybe I shouldn't be holding back…"

The red-haired girl quickly reached over her back and pulled out the two long Gerudo scimitars she had taken from before, charging forward swiftly. "How can you possibly say that?!?" she cried out as she ran out.

"Are you INSANE?!" Mido called out behind her.

Zelda raced forward down the remainder of the slope onto level ground, running forward. "Relm, STOP!"

The sage snickered, turning her full body in Relm's direction. Saria crossed her arms in front of her, clenching her hands tightly into a fist, and closed her eyes, whispering softly. Relm jumped into the air and lunched towards Saria, swinging both blades across….

Princess Zelda suddenly stopped dead in her tracks as a rainbow wall shot down the field and around both Relm and Saria. Relm's blades were knocked back and she slammed into the wall, bouncing off and rolling onto the ground, while Saria's magic struck the wall and stopped, unable to pass through.

"What now?!" Saria asked, startled.

"Enough!" Rauru called out, raising Excalibur high into the air. The light from the blade swept across the field, emanating bright whiteness all around. Saria felt herself engulfed in the holy energy, as the others around watch in awe, no longer blinded, but instead, feeling the soothing warmth spread around, eradicating the damage done by Saria in her madness.

The swirling energy surrounding the forest sage, specifically, and she collapsed to her knees, the scepter slipping from her hands and rolling onto the ground. Relm watches on the other side of the barrier, still unable to pass through, but no longer caring. Her anger, and her hatred, and ceased… at least for the moment. Instead, she focused on the wondrous power that spread around them. She turned back to Mido, who was also watching the flowing energy, and then her eyes shifted to Link.

The boy's face was peaceful as he laid face-down in the dirt. His shirt was still blood-stained, and he was still unconscious. She walked over to him, oblivious to her surroundings, even when Mido charged up to the rainbow barrier behind her, slamming a stick into it.

Saria slowly stood again, forcing herself up, against all odds. She was drawing power from the Scepter. That's the only way she was able to keep her energy up so high all this time. Her powers were strong; unlinked to the darkness, and the scepter's power did not increase hers. However, it did supply her more than enough energy to press on, despite the light closing in, despite the sword trying to quench the darkness, despite the holy power seeking to destroy the evil. Excalibur was powerful, she knew, but even then, it could not compare to the Master Sword, and even the Master Sword could not stop her.

She stood at a crooked angle, arms to her side, the Kokiri Sword slipping from her hands and falling to the ground. She brought her right hand in front of her, gripping the scepter tightly, and put her left hand underneath her right, holding it firm. At last, she turned to the sky, laughing out sadistically. "Your power is strong, O' great one, yet you not know the true strength of the darkness…"

Suddenly, she swung her head down again, leveling it with the ground, but staring up into Rauru's eyes. "…or do you?"

Repeated sword blows struck the shield behind them; arrows slammed hard into the barrier. "Rauru, stop it, now!" Zelda cried out, holding the blade that she had been given by her father firmly in her hands.

Sheila swiped out another arrow from her quiver and slipped it into her bow, but a hand touched her shoulder. "It's no use. That barrier deflects anything you can throw against it. The only way to stop it is to overpower it…"

The platinum-haired girl shook her head, staring Navi down. "No, there has to be a way! If that Scepter is truly more powerful than Excalibur, doesn't that mean Rauru's power isn't enough…?"

Navi lowered her head. "That's the point…"

Sheila shook her head. "N-no… that… can't be…"

"I know I won't stand for it," a male voice yelled, running past. Baask swung his spear in wide arcs against the force field, repeatedly, but to no avail.

"He's trying to take himself down along with her!" Nabooru called out from behind. "There's only one thing that can stop it now, and that's the Master Sword…"

Saria gripped the scepter tightly in her hand and launched herself forward, hovering slightly off the ground as she allowed the wind to carry her. The holy sage of light, Rauru, merely stood and watched as the younger, yet far more powerful sage made her way across the field and up the slope.

As the light met the darkness, blinding flashes of intense energy shined brightly, and all stared in awe.

But Relm didn't.

As the two powers pressured one another and the magical battle intensified, all stared in wonder.

But Relm didn't.

As the darkness overcame the light and Excalibur slipped from Rauru's fingertips, hitting ground and vanishing in a puff of smoke, all stared in dismay.

But Relm didn't.

As the shadows dissipated and Saria became visible, standing in the place where the holy sage once stood, all stared in horror, unable to do anything.

But Relm didn't.

Relm lay over the fallen hero, tears streaming from her eyes, her arms wrapped tightly around his body. "Link… I… I'm sorry… I couldn't…save you…" she whispered softly.

Relm sat up and wiped her face with the back of her hand. Link had no pulse; she already checked. The hero had failed. But she, too, had failed.

She failed her training. She failed Impa. She failed her emotions. She failed her dignity, and her honor. She failed her people, which she didn't count as she Sheikah, her 'original' people, whom she also failed. She failed her mother, too, and the whole world…

But most importantly, she failed _him_.

She never really trusted him at first. Relm had hated him; _loathed_ him, even. She had worked with Link solely based on her duty. Gradually, though, her first impressions waned… She saw another side to him she did not see before, and she admired that. She wanted to stand by his side and watch him; to stay close to him and learn more about him.

Slowly, bit by bit, Relm had felt her attraction to him growing. She no longer merely admired and respected him. She no longer wanted to just stand by his side in battle; she wanted more… to _be with_ him. So, then, she began turning her lost hatred and malice towards the next person she could—Saria. Saria kept on taking him away, and Relm knew that he would never leave that girl's side.

But, alas, it was all for naught. Everything he had done to protect her, to save her… What good did it truly accomplish? He threw out his full effort for _her_… that _witch_…

Finally, Relm pushed her thoughts about the past aside. It was time to take action, and take action she would. She stood up, the Gerudo Scimitar she was using now lying on the ground behind her, with her daggers lying next to that. She moved forward, holding the sacred blade in her hand, allowing the rage and anger to fill her heart, and her mind.

As she walked away, the motionless body behind her began to stir.

Saria looked high into the air, the resting place of the Triforce yet undisturbed. She stared at her prize, glee in her eye. "At last…" she whispered softly, "the ultimate power…"

"Not if I can help it!" Relm cried out, racing towards Saria at full speed.

"Relm, NO!" Zelda cried out, but she was too late.

Sheila covered her mouth in horror, gasping as Relm jumped into the air, coming down on top of Saria. Time slowed for just a second, and Relm stared with menacing eyes into Saria's own, but the forest sage just snickered. "Fool… you waste your life so rashly? Pity…"

Relm gasped as the barrier went up around Saria, but found that she could not pass through. The Master Sword did, slicing into the darkness, but she found herself trapped in the swirling shadows, the blade of evil's bane slipping from her hand. Vines erupted from the ground, wrapping tightly around her, _merging_ into her skin…

The barrier disappeared and she was drug down to the ground, her feet turning brown and flaky, sinking beneath the dirt. They spread out, becoming roots like that on a tree. Pain spread across her body as she also saw her hands changing, morphing into branches, each finger outstretching and growing red leaves, as in autumn.

"RELM!" Zelda cried out, racing up the slope, tears streaming from her eyes as she heard her sister screaming out in pain. Sheila followed close behind, dropping her bow onto the ground behind her.

The infection on Relm's body continued to spread and she found herself unable to move her body, except her arms and head, but that was rapidly changing, too. A tingly feeling erupted on the back of her head, and she felt leaves fall down behind her, but she knew it was actually long streams of her hair. She reached a hand back, still wincing from the pain of the transformation, and saw that her new-found hair was still long, and still red, but was like that on a willow tree, falling down behind her, and all around, and like the leaves growing on her hands, they were as the Autumn falls.

Relm's body then stiffened, and her arms straightened out at her side. She could still turn her head slightly, and open her mouth, but no words came. She gasped in horror, but no sound emitted. The pains at last subsided, and she cried… she cried of fear, of hatred, and of anger… but most of all, she cried of self-pity…

Zelda wrapped her arms around her sister and cried, as well. Sheila placed a hand on Zelda's back, looking down to the ground, sorrow in her eyes. Baask, on the other hand, standing back at the bottom of the slope, merely stared in dismay. He turned to a similar tree, the one looking like Captain Gersh, and now fully understood what it is that had happened.

Saria, on the other hand, simply turned away, grunting underneath her breath. This wasn't her choice; determining Relm's fate. That was Relm's own decision. She'll get used to it, though, Saria reasoned. Relm was indeed a most beautiful specimen, though. After obtaining the Triforce, Saria knew that it would be best for all that others like Relm become like this. She would not take away their lives, not the way Baask's had been taken. In fact, Baask himself would be restored slightly, enough with limited mobility, but not enough to cause a ruckus. Such a thing would not suit a proper world unity.

Now, it was time… It would all be over soon. No more death, no more pain, no more meaningless wars. There wouldn't be any sorrow, either; just a perfect utopia. That's all that's needed, and all that there ever will be. The final piece to the puzzle, the method of solving everything…was the Triforce… It would all end once the Triforce came into the palm of her hand.

It was close; so close now… She saw it in the air; its power beckoned her… All anyone else could do was watch; she was simply too powerful, and she knew it. They knew it, too. That fool Rauru didn't, but he knows now. Not even he could stop her; not even the Master Sword could.

Slowly, her body levitated, and the ground grew further and further away. She reached out her hand; feeling the power beckoning to her, calling her.

'_Saria…'_

She knew what it was, now, and where it had come from.

'_Saria…'_

The voice echoed in her mind, louder, increasing in pitch.

'_Closer, Saria…'_

The image reflected in her eyes.

'_Closer…'_

She smiled, seeing the glow of the Triforce only a few feet in front of her face.

'_It is your destiny…'_

She reached out her hand, smirking. "At last… victory…"

As she reached up her hand, she felt her heart racing, pulse vibrant. She neared, and now she could see that only a short bit more and it would be hers. She stretched further, knowing it was over.

Sheila suddenly gasped out, staring up into the air.

Saria suddenly felt chilled to the bone. Immense pain flowed into her, sending a shock throughout her entire body. She gasped for breath, dropping the scepter from her hand and looking down to her chest, touching the spot, raising her hand level with her face.

_Blood._

A blade peaked out through the wound and she quickly pulled it out of her back with her left hand, gasping in agony at the pain. She stared at the sword, shaking her head, her mind screaming out to her. "N-no…it…its not…p-poss…ible…h-how…c-can… it… it… be….?"

The sword slipped from her hand, and she felt her powers wane. She stared into the sky as she fell, watching as everything slowly darkened around her. All the way, though, thoughts raced through her mind… questions, needs, wants…and no answers.

'_Wasn't I doing the right thing?'_

'_Where did I go wrong?'_

'_How could I have failed…?'_

Mists swirled in her mind. The bright, eerie green eyes watched her, menacing, the invisible face snickering. _'Hehe… So much power… 'twas your fate, Saria… you… have… awakened…'_

The scepter of darkness hit the ground and shadows swirled around in a wide arc, wrapping around all those affected by Saria's power. Relm's body slowly returned to normal, starting with her hair, becoming silky smooth, blood red, with the rest of her body following suit. She fell to her knees, and Zelda fell down next to her, pulling her tightly into her arms.

Sheila stared out in wonder, but heard footsteps rush past her before seeing the green-cloaked figure dash on ahead, tossing something down behind him. She ran over and picked up the object, gasping in surprise. "M-my bow…? How…?"

Link ran onward, past the fallen Kokiri Sword, past the Master Sword, past the Scepter of Darkness. He stood, beneath the Triforce, looking into the sky.

Saria felt her energy give way, and her powers fade. She couldn't think straight; couldn't even breathe. With her strength gone, her clothes reverted back to their original form, and she watched, barely conscious, as she fell head first to the ground. Darkness overcame her, but she thought she felt something…then, there…after all had passed…warmth…and strong arms pulling her in…


	41. Unabated Fate

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Chapter 41: Unabated Fate**_

_Black mists swirled all around, enveloping all that once was, and now is no longer. It was the end of all things; the final stage in the game of life. What has gone past this final barrier and never returned? What could possibly understand the real truth to the darkness? How did one know of the things that are, were, and yet to come?_

_Death._

_The sound echoed in the air. A hollow, empty feeling, devoid of any signs of life._

_Fear._

_Not knowing the true nature of what lies beyond. Was there a heaven? Was there a hell? Did they truly exist? And to which would one be taken?_

_Despair._

_The knowledge that it is the end; nothing good can come of anything any longer, and anyone who falls into death and fear without knowing the true nature of all things will surely find despair._

_Hatred._

_The feelings of contempt and malice; it curses all forms of life, and even those that do not live, and condemns the one who holds such feelings. Death, fear, and despair cause hatred, and therefore, they, too, should be hated._

_It becomes a never-ending, unbreakable cycle. In this void of emptiness, who is there to turn to? Who can find the way back, to escape from this endless pit of destruction, a fate worse than any living hell?_

_This place proved devoid of all feeling, thought, and time. It was merely a dull, empty, nothingness. Fate had cursed this place. Fate had cursed me._

"_**It is not your place to decide fate, only to choose the right path in the midst of it."**_

'_What are you saying?!' My thoughts called back out in my head, not even sure how or why it was possible._

"_**Your life isn't forfeit. You cannot claim it is the end, when you have not even yet found the beginning."**_

_A warm glowed enveloped the darkness, casting it away. A light flickered, brightening, shining in the black hole of nothingness. A face opened up, tears drenching his cheeks. The image became clearer… I watched, astonished… I felt something…a hand…brushing...I took in a deep breath and my eyes opened…_

_**XXXXX**  
_

Link held the frail girl in his hands, pulling her close to him. If someone else was trying to talk to him, call out to him, he did not hear. He simply held her close to his heart, her blood drenching his tunic, soaking it. He felt her cold, dead hand, and knew that it was over. Saria was gone; never to return.

Suddenly, he felt a hand touch his shoulder. Link turned back, startled. **"Do not fear death,"** the voice whispered in his ear, **"for death is merely the beginning of life."**

He raised an eyebrow, unable to see a thing, but still feeling a presence in the air. "Wh-what do you mean by that?"

"**Believe in your heart, and you shall find the lost love you seek…"**

Link shook his head, turning to the ground. "B-believe… but she's gone!" tears poured from his eyes, and he fell down to his hands and knees, staring upon the dirt of the earth. "She's…not coming back….there's…nothing I could do…I…just…couldn't stand…and watch her condemn herself, and the rest of the world… How… how can the goddesses justify this? How can they let this happen?"

"**We did not make this happen,"** another voice whispered, **"but it was merely she who did… it was not your fault, nor ours, that Saria made the choice she did. But…that does not mean…it is the end…"**

Link stopped, stunned. He turned back to Saria, now seeing a bit of movement. Her chest heaved out, and came back in again.

Instantly he came down by her side and pulled her body close, brushing his hand through her hair. "Saria… Saria!"

Weak, and drained, Saria slowly, but finally opened her eyes, staring up into his. "L-link…?"

He tightened his grip around her, tears streaming from his eyes, pulling her face into his chest. "Saria, you're alive! I… I thought…"

She sniffled, coughing a bit, before burying her head into his chest. "L-link… Wh-why… why don't you hate me…?"

He shook his head. "Don't talk like that… I could never hate you…"

Tears streamed from her eyes as she continued. "B-but…what…about…what about all that…I have done…? I…grasped for all the power that…that I could hold…I…thought I was doing the right thing…"

"Saria," Link stated, "it was the power of the scepter…you couldn't help yourself…"

She stared up at him glaring. "You don't understand…the true nature of the power, Link…I felt its presence inside me… It influenced me, yes…to a small extent…But I grasped for the power… _I_, not the power inside of me, desired it…it couldn't control me…I could have resisted it if I chose to do so, but I did not…I was scared, at first, when it first overtook me… I wanted to push it away, hoping the Triforce could put an end to it all… When I wasn't grasping for the power, when I was hiding, it kept reaching out all on its own, my own power fused to the scepter's…"

Link raised an eyebrow, startled. "So… you weren't causing all of this…?"

She shook her head. "I was, but…not at first…However, my emotions did have some control over it…Ingo taking over the ranch and later becoming a demon, the Moblin at Zora's River… I did not have full memory over these events, but I knew they were occurring… Sometimes, I even embraced them…"

"And Ganondorf…?" Link asked.

She closed her eyes, turning away. "That…that was all me, all my own…I tricked you…into releasing Ganondorf… I knew I couldn't get to the Triforce of Wisdom or Courage easily…but Ganondorf… I knew you'd be all the more willing to target him… His dark power is what influenced the monsters in Northern Hyrule; and the Kraken while we rode down Zora's River… The Gerudo, too, were his doing… Too many Gerudo were still loyal to Ganondorf, and so they were all-too willing to follow him…But the Moblin hoard that attacked Sheikah Village? That, too, was caused by me…the power knew what I sought, what I desired…but because I wouldn't embrace it, it proceeded to act on its own accord, stealing the three pendants to unlock the key to the Master Sword…"

Link sighed. "I…I'm sorry, Saria…but it doesn't change anything…I still love you, and that has kept me motivated despite all that has happened… Don't beat yourself up over the past…Look only to the future…"

She pulled herself close to him, again, closing her eyes and smiling. "Th-thank you…And…I…I'm…sorry…oh, so sorry…." Her eyes watered again, and she continued to cry, but Link simply pulled her close to him, and she remained there, letting her tears fall from her face.

"I…I don't know…what I'd ever do…without you, Link…" she whispered. "I'll…get through…it…I g-guess…."

Link gasped, shaking his head. "Saria, no…you…you can't…I won't let you die…"

She placed a hand on his cheek, staring into his eyes. "You've…helped me more than you should…I just wish…we…had more t-time….but…the…the entity…is….c-calling…You…didn't realize, did you, that…that…I was…never…alive…this…whole…time…"

"No!" he cried, tears racing down his face.

"I…may speak…yet now…but it is only…the grace…of the Goddesses…that I am here still…remember…Ingo….? The…devourer…trapped inside the containment…known as the…the Scepter…of Darkness…absorbs the energies….of those…h-he….he…influences…so…he…can…grow…strong…"

"Saria… SARIA!" Link called out, seeing black oozing mists beginning to spread around her body. He knew what was happening; he had seen it before. All the monsters summoned by the scepter, all those influenced, like Ingo…but he couldn't believe that this was happening, not here, not to her.

"Link…I…love you…Please understand…that I do…."

He stared in dismay, unsure of what to do. "Saria…?"

"Goodbye…"

"NO!" he cried out, pulling her closer to his body, and kissing her on the lips. She pulled her body into his, and he into her, feeling the warmth spread between the two, souls joined in union for a brief moment…before her body was consumed in darkness, vaporizing into the swallowing mists, her loving smiling watching him until the very end, until at last he saw the scepter, floating there, and the mists pouring down into it.

Link turned to the sky, crying out, screaming at the top of his lungs. "NOOOOOO!"

The voice echoed upon the nothingness, the infinity black that he never realized he was in. He felt something beneath his feet, but did not see anything. He saw the Master Sword imbedded straight into the blackness that was the ground, standing directly in the pedestal of time. He saw the Scepter of Darkness, lying a few feet away, and lastly, he found the Kokiri Sword, lying on the ground in the place where Saria once was.

Link pushed himself to his feet, trudging on, before collapsing to his knees again, picking up the sword in his hand. He pulled it close to his body and wept, staring into the blackness that he now stood on.

Footsteps echoed in the darkness, but he paid no heed. He felt a hand on his shoulder, but he didn't turn back. He heard a voice, but he didn't wish to hear.

"Such is fate," the voice spoke up, "you do not know where it may lay its ground, or where it may find you. You don't know where it will lead you, but you press on, resisting its every whim. It comes when you are not looking, pressuring you, forcing you to take sides you don't wish to take. Fate is not for good, or for ill. It is destiny, but destiny need not always be taken. Fate is unabated; it always comes, but it does not control. Resisting fate is possible, but difficult. However, life is not run upon fate, either. You must decide your own choices, make your own path. You can follow fate, and see where it leads you, or stray your own way. Fate is ordained by the goddesses, and is the chosen path that should be taken, but is not required."

Link brushed a few tears from his face and sat up, still refusing to turn around. "If the goddesses are 'oh-so-powerful,' couldn't they stop all this death and destruction in this world? Just as Saria had wished?"

The mystery figure nodded, sitting down next to him. "Indeed so. Link, you must understand that it is not so much that the Goddesses cannot do it. They can. They just choose not to. They don't want the people on this beautiful blue and green earth to be mere mindless zombies. They have given mankind a choice. You can choose to follow the wishes of the Goddesses, or you can choose to take your own path. Freedom."

He sighed, turning at last to look into the eyes of his suitor. He very suddenly gasped in surprise, rolling backwards, before jumping back to his feet again, grabbing the Kokiri Sword of the ground. "Z-zelda…?! But… I thought… You're…"

Zelda looked down upon her translucent, glowing body, nodding to herself. "Dead? Yes, of course. But you see, we are not in the world of light, now, are we?"

Link turned around, realizing it was true. Finally, he did see what lay beyond the darkness. They were in the exact place that they were before; where the Master Sword now stood upright in the Pedestal of Time, the ruins of the Temple of Time in the forest, where Saria had brought it. But it was a dull, faint light that shined over the sky; a bright orange, deathly glaze. All around, dark shadows whispered across the world, wisps of blackness that appeared, and faded.

Finally, he turned back to face here. "Where… where are we?"

Zelda turned down, nodding, smiling. "It is known by many names. The Netherworld, the Nexus, the Dark World, the Twilight Realm. All life that dies first goes here. Life then moves on, if one is deemed worthy. Life can still live in this place, but it is a cold, harsh world, the opposite to the World of Light, and of the Sacred Realm."

Link looked over himself, eying his body. "But… if I'm not dead…why am I here?"

**"To show you the way…"**

"**The true path that you must follow…"**

"**The place where the darkness meets the light, where those of death seek to destroy the World of Light, and revive the demon of destruction."**

Three pillars of glowing light suddenly appeared, showing three faces. One pillar was red, one green, and the final, blue. He knew who they were, but still did not understand why. They kept leaving him with more questions than answers. "Demon of Destruction…? Darkness meets the light…? What does this mean…? Why do you keep speaking to me in riddles?"

Zelda stepped forward, in the midst of the three Goddesses, her image slowly fading. "Link… this is your destiny… If you wish to save Saria, and the world of light, you must take this final stand. Are you ready?" she asked, holding up her hand.

Link turned down to the ground, then up at the three Goddesses. Finally, he faced Zelda, nodding his head. He grabbed her hand, smiling, as a light suddenly enveloped him, and the entire world. "I'm ready."

_**XXXXX**_

Hooves trotted along the ground. The sound echoed out, but soon stopped. A whinny cried out, and then a nudge. The figure opened his eyes to blue sky, surrounding by trees all around. A fire was going nearby, and a horse stood above, nudging the side of his body.

"Epona…?" Link asked, surprised.

He sat up, glancing around. They were in a small little ground, surrounded by trees on all sides. There was a fire pit at the center, with Navi sitting next to it, still wearing her dress, with her pink hair tied up in a ponytail, but it seemed longer than before. She wore black sandals, as she did before. Something seemed odd, though… but he lost the thought once she turned up to him.

"Oh, Link? You're finally awake… I was wondering what was taking you so long. We really should get going while there's still daylight out."

Link blinked, raising an eyebrow. "Daylight? What time is it? Where are we going?"

Navi stood up, walked over to him and kneeled down next to him. "Link, is your head okay? Need I cast a healing spell? You should remember. You just returned to the forest, and the Great Deku Tree sent us off on a mission out in the east. I'm so glad we got to work together again, and now I don't have to hide my secret anymore!"

He glanced around, startled. "Mission in the east…? Secret…? What secret? What mission? What happened to Saria? Where's Relm, Princess Zelda, and Sheila? Baask, Nabooru, Daphnes… where is everyone? Mido?"

Navi raised an eyebrow. "You were dreaming again, weren't you…? Hmph… you sleep to often, y'know that? Remember when we first met? I had to FORCE you out of bed! Sheesh… You and your dreams… Saria disappeared years ago; I already told you that. Zelda, the queen… I heard she died recently, and the king and her daughter are attending to her funeral, but I haven't been out of the forest, so I have no idea what you're getting at."

"B-but… the Scepter of Darkness? What happened to that? Saria had found it, and she grew mad with power…and I stopped her, but I couldn't save her…"

Navi shook her head, sighing. "Sheesh, Link… Get your head into gear. This is real. I'm real. Saria's gone; she's not coming back. Maybe it's because of your love of that girl you keep going back to her. I understand she was your best friend and all, but she's gone now. Maybe we'll meet up with her on our journey, or maybe we won't. Let's just get back to the mission, okay?"

Link raised an eyebrow, and then glanced around. It did seem familiar, but… that dream was all too real. It couldn't have been…just a dream…could it?

The…mission… that's what Navi said, right? Link thought about it more, and the more he went through everything in his head, the more it came clearer. So…Saria wasn't dead, was she…? It was…merely a nightmare… _'That's what they meant… I… I can still find her! Maybe… maybe I really came back before Saria found the scepter…and I can stop her!'_

"We… were heading first to the kingdom of Masa, correct?" Link asked.

Navi nodded her head. "Yes, that's right, you're getting it. We're taking the path through the Lost Woods, to the northeast, and into the mountains of Masa. Daphnes' brother, Travian, should be able to help us fulfill the mission. Are you ready to go?" she asked.

Link nodded. "Yeah… I'm…I'm alright. Let's get going."

He stood up and looked over to the fire. Navi nodded to him. "I'll take care of that; don't worry. Just saddle up Epona and we'll get out of this place."

He smiled, turning back to his horse, and rubbing her mane. She neighed in delight, and Link nodded. "That's a good girl." He reached over for the saddle, lying across a fallen tree, but then…something caught his eye…. A faint, black-blue mist… He raised an eyebrow, curious. _'No…it…couldn't be… could it?'_

Link stepped over the fallen log, following the path into the woods. Navi called out to him, "Link where are you going?!" but he did not answer.

The trail began to fade, so he ran… ran with all his might, through the forest, tracking it as quick as he could, pressuring his body more than he ever felt. He was out of breath, heart racing, thoughts straying, but he held his ground, his gaze on the black ooze…A twig struck him in the head, cutting him, causing him to bleed slightly, but he merely winced at the pain and pressed on, until finally arriving at a clearing, gasping for breath, staring at the center.

Everything fell apart.

Navi came out of the woods behind him, riding Epona, freshly saddled, when she, too, gasped out at the sight, unable to take away her eyes. "No… its…not…possible…"

Link took a step forward, collapsing to his knees, staring up at the object he all his rage, anger, contempt, and hatred was pouring out over. He turned to the sky, screaming out. "NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!"

Navi bit her lip; unable to believe it herself. _'How was even I unable to break free from that illusion?'_ she asked herself, staring blankly.

"Its…its…"

Link turned back to it, nodding his head, a shiver in his spine, tears drenching his face. "Yes… it is…"

"The Scepter of Darkness."

* * *

_**Author's Note(s)**_: One left. I'll probably finish it today (its about 50% complete; I did the last scene a while back), but I won't submit it for a few days; probably Thursday, so I have time (I've got things going on both Friday and Saturday). So, yeah, lookin' good. I -love- how this chapter turned out. Actually, I wrote it 100% today.

I've almost got the entire database complete for Dark Horizons' game. I have all Armor (except Accessories) and Skills (except Monster Skills) archived, though without the full details in each item. What I'll do is, gradually, when I need to, I'll fill out the information for that item in question. I'll proceed this way for a little while, updating my scripts until I get it the way I want, and then finally work on re-doing the Maps I did prior. It'll take a little while, but I'm proceeding at a pretty good pace.

My next GED test is tomorrow, and the other one is on Friday. On Saturday I have a training course for a job (which I received confirmation on today), which I'm psyched about. Its only an on-and-off summer job (at a music theatre for concerts and such; so of course, I'll only have to go in when there's a concert), but at least its -A- job.


	42. Memoir of the Lost

_**Author's Note(s)**_: Meh, two days behind schedule. Ah well. Here it is, anyway. Things were just hectic the past couple days, but luckily, things will clear up after today for a while. If you have any questions after this chapter, ask them in a review of this chapter and later I will post a bonus chapter with Q&A and also a preview of The Demon Within.

If you want information on the Dark Horizons game, watch my deviantART Account. I'll be posting information and updates there. And yes, this IS at last the final chapter. It sets up more events for the future, and especially a lot of character develop, both positive and negative. Plus, a new villain is finally revealed, whom plays a most integral part in the sequel... And no, if you ask who he is that is one question I will -not- answer. You'll have to figure it out for yourself. This is actually an idea I had almost since starting this story, but while developing the story further I finally decided that I -would- make that reference.

Dark Horizons, the finalie, is based on a different idea all-together, but I wanted to include Relm and Sheila into the mix, along with other SoD characters, so I decided to make it a trilogy instead. Dark Horizons was first concepted a few chapters before 30, so some references are included around that point (probably 27 and later) hinting at future events. Watch carefully to try and learn some more about the plot as it advances.

Well, that's it for now. -Please- comment and let me know what you think. I'm sure a lot of people are reading and not reviewing, and since this is the finalie, I would like to hear some opinions about how it went along the way.

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness**

_**Epilogue: Memoir of the Lost**_

"We are gathered here to day in this sacred Tomb of Arbiter…"

Relm stepped forward, her long, black dress flowing out behind her as the desert winds rushed past her. She stared up at the steps leading into the tomb, watching the procession move on.

"…where we at last must say farewell to our beloved queen, but not only queen but the holy Sage of Time…"

Zelda, Daphnes, Gersh, and Baask all stood at the top of the stairs, behind the head sage, the sage of Light, Rauru, whom was not killed by Saria, but merely sentenced back into the Sacred Realm. He now spoke to the people of Hyrule, and of Masa; the Kokiri, Zoras, Gorons, Gerudo, Sheikah, and Hylians were all here, together, in this place.

"…whom has led this land of Hyrule diligently and justly for all these years, but has at last has found rest."

In addition to the four who stood behind Rauru also stood behind them the remaining four sages, whom were also the leaders of the tribes of Hyrule. These consisted of the Fire Sage, Darunia, the Water Sage, Ruto, the Shadow Sage, Impa, and the Spirit Sage, Nabooru.

"Zelda was also caring, understanding that it was her duty to put herself in the front lines of battle, the first to fight the good fight."

Relm continued to glanced around, seeing all the other familiar, and unfamiliar faces. There was a blend of cultures and races, right here, in this place. Even the Ordonians, who had migrated from their own lands in the south due to persecutions, were here. Malon stood in their midst, with Sheila by her side. The ranch owner had found favor in Sheila, and had practically adopted the girl.

"Our queen never backed down; always standing up for what is right. She fought the good fight; following her duty and honor…"

At the head of the knights of Hyrule stood the newly-promoted Maya Leudona, taking the rank of Lieutenant formerly held by Trey. At the lead of the Masans was Travian, whom she had never met, but clearly recognized, for he was her uncle, her father's elder brother. Leading the Kokiri was Mido, and Fado, the fairy, while Link, more formerly known as Link-Goro, whom was named after the Hero of Time by Darunia, led the Gorons, with lastly a woman named Priscilla leading the Gerudo still loyal to Hyrule.

"…and though she is no longer with us today, we shall always have her memory in this place, so that we may unite together for a brighter future."

Despite the sorrow of the moment, the speech was applauded, and the dullness of the memorial service had been lightened up at least a small bit. Relm did not take it in, though. It only made her blood boil even more than it already had. She knew well why she chose to remain on the sidelines. She feared she could not hold back her anger.

A young zora stepped into the front of the crew and begun to sing a beautiful, soothing melody, which echoed across the plains, and the hearts of all those present were soothed by it. The sages, as well as Daphnes, Gersh, and Baask, then proceeded to carry Zelda's casket into the tomb, where she would at last be able to rest.

In the depths of the place, though, foul laughter echoed out. Bars clanked and hissed, all the while the malice and hatred in the evil one's voice never ceased. "Lock me up all you want, foolish mortals…" he hissed through the bars concealing him, "but you can't hold me down…hehehe…my power may be gone…for now…but it always returns…and then you will see your ultimate doom upon you, and your precious kingdom of Hyrule…he he he… ha ha ha!"

Ganondorf suddenly felt a swift hit to the face, knocking him back down into his cell. "You deserve that, you bastard," Relm remarked, hissing.

The dark lord laughed again, pulling himself to his feet, staring out through the iron bars at the girl. "Hmph… hehehe…" he laughed again, closing his eyes briefly, before opening them again and stepping closer to her, staring into her eyes. "I see your heart…no, your very soul…hide it all you want, little girl, but you're nothing…and you know it…act tough, but you're broken, a pile of soft clay, perfect to be molded to whatever makes you willing…"

Relm snapped, swiping a dagger from her belt and chucking it through the bars, stabbing the evil king in the chest. He winced a bit, but then glanced down at it, carefully removing it with his right hand, snickering. "Perfect…so perfect… You're just like me…vile…wretched…filled with hatred, and malice…you hate the world, but most of all, you hate her…and now you hate Link, too, don't you, because he keeps chasing her, refusing to pay attention to you?"

She gritted her teeth, looking down. "I…" she paused for a bit, but suddenly turnd back up, throwing her hands at the bars. "I AM NOTHING LIKE YOU!"

"Relm…?" a voice echoed in the distance.

Ganondorf chuckled, sitting back on the small stone slab that they called a 'bed', eying Relm carefully, still shuffling the knife between his fingers. "Aren't you gonna go, little girl? Better run, before they catch you…All the better for me to control."

Relm turned around, gritting her teeth. "We're finished here."

The dark lord snickered, quickly whipping the knife back through the bars and into the stone wall on the opposing side of the corridor, whipping right behind Relm's head. The blade stuck deep into the wall; so far that the upper side of the hilt was snug tightly up against it. Relm tried removing it, with no luck, before finally leaving and meeting her sister up the stairs.

'_No, little girl…'_ Ganondorf thought to himself, _'we have only just begun…hehehe…'_

_Sometimes… I just wish she would understand… I try to do my best, making up for the loss of mom and dad… She tries to help me… But when things get out of hand, she had a hard time not losing control…_

"_What on Earth are you thinking?!" she had told me. "I'm sorry, but I cannot allow this! Remember what happened last time? If Link hadn't been there, I don't know what I'd do…"_

"_I'm not a little girl anymore, sister!" I had shouted back at her. Now I regret those words. "Link has taught me much in the time he's been here… and now he's gone. I have to find him! He could be in danger, or hurt, or…"_

_Tears were streaming down my eyes, but I didn't care. "I'm telling you, it's too dangerous! I won't let you go. I've lost too much already… I don't want to lose you, too!"_

_Maybe it would've been better if I had stayed. She was sure stubborn, but it didn't stop me. She even locked me in my room to keep me from trying to escape in the middle of the night… She didn't anticipate me climbing out the window and into the tree, before finding my strong mare, Justine, whom I named after my mother._

_My sister was awakened by the sound of the horses neighing. She had rushed downstairs and swung open the door to the house just as I began to ride off. "Romani, no, wait!"_

_I stopped and glanced back, feeling the quiver hung over my soldier shifting positions. She stood at the door, and closed my eyes, tears escaping from them. "I'm sorry, Cremia," was all I could muster, before riding off into the night._

_Cremia would have followed me, but she was still in her nightgown, and by that time, I was long gone. Even then, I think she may have finally realized I needed some space. I loved my sister, but… she just wouldn't let go._

_Link had already been gone for days. He set out for Clock Town to deliver some supplies… and never returned. I followed the tracks into the Misty Woods, riding into its depths, and beyond the river. That's when I stopped, staring, stunned._

"What in the world is that thing?!" Romani asked herself, staring up at the strange, empty void in the center of the grove.

The black hole in the center spun in a large circle, shocks of electricity seeming to shoot from side to side, but it wasn't like real lighting… Instead, it was dark, purple. Like an endless whirlpool of pure evil, shadows, lingering… a nasty odor overwhelmed all other senses, emanating from the depths of the darkness.

Romani gritted her teeth, staring into it. She reached behind her and pulled her bow out of her quiver, looking around. "Whatever it is, it doesn't look good… Is this what happened to Link? Did he get sucked into this… thing…?"

Justine neighed loudly, backing away. Romani shook her head. "I'm sorry, girl, but I'm going… the trail ends here; Link clearly must have somehow been dragged into it…" she clacked her feet together, raising her hands up. "Let's ri—"

She didn't finish. Justine wasn't about to go anywhere near there, despite Romani's wishes. She stood up on her hind legs shortly after the girl hit her heels together and Romani fell off the horse's back. The mare instantly darted off, racing back through the woods. Romani knew that her sister would find the horse and think that something bad happened, but she didn't care. She was going in.

As the young ranch girl ran into the portal, shadows poured across over the image, bright green eyes staring into the depths of the small ball of shadows held between three long, thing, pointed fingers, smiling gleefully.

"The pieces are coming together," he laughed in a dark, menacing voice. It carried out through the world of twisting shadows around him, echoing upon the nothingness that enveloped the dark world.

A figure dashed through the twirling mists; racing, running, fleeing… to where, she did not know, but she pressed on, searching for something… anything… Her clothes were tattered and torn, her lips dry, her long green hair a tangled mess… She saw no living soul in the ebbs of the darkness… only shadows of evil power; whispers in the dark…

The mists swirled around her, and she gasped for breath, reaching her hands out, trying to escape from pits of despair; the empty void of darkness swallowing her into its depths… she cried, screaming in anguish, but all was futile… wrapped in a black cloud, she felt her body go limp, unable to move… she hung lifeless, watching in horror as he came, approaching; faceless, except for two large, green eyes, split in the center of the pupils, like a cat, but that was the only resemblance.

The figure swarmed in the shadows; mists pouring down across him. He was humanoid in shape, nothing else looked remotely human. His body was a dark, dense navy blue, nearly black as night. Spike-like hair hung down behind his head, but it wasn't really hair at all... Instead, they were as crystal shards, converting from the dark blue to a lighter, icy shade.

Pointed ears came up alongside the figure's head, but as the 'hair,' the tips were crystalline shards. The same went for his hands. They look somewhat human, but barely recognizable. They only had three figures, all of which too appeared to be tipped like crystal shards, long and pointed, and a single thumb-like addition, in the same condition as the other fingers. His feet, barely visible through the mists, also had crystal-like toes, and only three per foot.

He wore no clothing, but he didn't he didn't need it. The shadows covered him, but even that he did not need. The demonic entity had no gender to speak off, so it mattered not what he wore. Despite his somewhat humanoid body, the figure could be mistake for no less than a demon of death, and destruction, and darkness.

The girl tried to speak, but she had been silenced. She opened her mouth, yet no words came out. She even felt the breath coming up as she tried, but she didn't hear.

The demon laughed, narrowing his eyes. "Try as you might, but you shall never escape… This is my world!" he called out, raising his left hand high. "Look, and ye shall not find… Listen, and ye shall not hear… Ask, and the door will not open!"

The mists suddenly died, and she felt gravity pull her down. To where, she did not know. She fell through the thing that she thought was the floor, feeling herself dragged down into an endless abyss that she could not see… Heart pounding, mind screaming, soul crying out… No wind, no air, no ground… Just falling, falling, falling...

Crashing into the depths, the bowels… Heat churning, ground aflame… Every bone in her body ached, but she found no one to soothe her pains… no one to hold her hand… she cried, curling up onto the ground, wishing it all to end…

Tears emitted from her eyes, but she cared not. The ground soaked, quenching out the fires; the pits of hell. She had not paid attention to anything around her. She didn't even know what was real anymore. She had fallen, crashing into… something, but she did not know what it was, nor did she care. She had felt the heat and molten rock, and she had felt it come apart. None of it, though, could quench the burning anxiety in her heart.

"Link… I… I'm sorry…" she finally muttered, not even sure who or what could possibly hear her voice.

Footsteps echoed; grass rustled. She heard and listened. She opened her eyes, and saw. She was lying in an open field, at the top of a hill.

The darkness was gone, and there he was, standing, watching. He smiled, coming nearer. "Saria…" he whispered as he approached.

Saria stared, breathing heavily, taking in the sight. "No, it can't be… How can… how is…?"

Link kneeled down next to her and kissed her, softly, but passionately. He then stopped, staring into her eyes. "Its not over until its over. We haven't been beaten yet."

"But, I thought—"

"The darkness cannot overcome the light," Link stated. "You have been able to break free from the darkness… shortly. You have to stay strong, even when things are tough. And don't be afraid to cry."

Mists began to pour across the field, again, enveloping in it the darkness. Link's body began to fade, but he simply smiled. Saria gasped, looking around, and turning back, standing up, throwing her hand out. "Link!"

Link nodded, watching her, knowing that the evil power was returning again. "Keep fighting… stay strong… Don't let the darkness consume you again… He needs you… He wants your power… Don't give it to him."

Clouds rolled in overhead. Rains poured down, drenching Saria, and Link. She watched as the shadows lurked at the edges, consuming all traces of the light. Despair filled her heart again. She reached out and held Link's hand, firmly. "Don't leave me!" she cried, tears pouring out again.

A bolt of lightning struck the ground, roaring. The shadows closed in all around, and Link faded, Saria's hand slipping from his. She collapsed to the ground, or whatever it was now, and cried again. However, then, something changed. She felt a warm glow inside her, suppressing the pain, soothing her. _"I will always be with you…"_

She smiled and rubbed the tears out of her eyes, hearing his voice echo in her mind. _'I can't fall into despair…'_ she told herself. _'Link will come for me… but he can't do it on his own. Whatever this creep wants, I won't let him have it!'_

Suddenly, a large icycle shot from the ground a few feet in front of her. Saria jumped to her feet and ran in the opposite direction, not out of fear, but out of strength. She knew she could never defeat him, but she also knew that she could outlast him.

The icy dome splintered and cracked. A crooked hand emitted, before the entire encasing collapsed. He watched the girl run, laughing from the mouth he did not have. He'd be smirking right now if he had a true face, but he did not.

Saria kept running, glancing back once and a while to check for the figure. Then, though, he was gone. She gasped and turned back in front of her, only to see him… or in this case, her, appear again. The sage gasped, stunned. "No, that's… how…"

The feminine voiced laughed. "Just trying a new form… Don't you like it, Saria? Fit for you, is it not?"

Now she was even more afraid, but she stood her ground. It wasn't so much the fact that the demon appeared more feminine, now, or had a light voice. It was _whose_ voice and _what_ form he had now taken.

Saria backed away, shaking her head. "You are NOT me! I don't want have anything to do with you!"

The demon had taken Saria's own appearance, but not just any appearance… her appearance as the Dark Queen. Saria's doppelganger had her hair tied just like Saria did; dress of vines just like Saria's before, and had a replica of the Scepter of Darkness in hand. However, the demon's skin was still the same color, as were the eyes.

As the figure stepped forward once, Saria stepped back twice. "Come on, you know you want it… You loved it; the darkness, the power, the lust for dominion! It was your destiny, lest you forget…"

Saria shook her head, looking away, tears pouring down again. "N-no… I don't want that… I messed up everything; I hurt my friends…" she paused, and then turned full-face back to the doppelganger again, hands out to her sides. "I WON'T LET YOU USE ME!"

Powers emanating from the sage's clenched fists; winds came from nowhere and struck repeatedly against the demon, attacking forcefully, tearing pieces of the creature's body away. The demon slowly melted into a puddle, and at last, Saria collapsed to her knees, breathless.

"Hmm… Amazing… Even in this world, you still have the power to fight me… but it will do no good…"

The sage was startled from behind, jumping to her feet and turning around. The demon had taken yet another form, but this was identical to his normal one… except more fully human. He had real human hair, real human ears, real human arms and legs… He still had no gender, though, despite appearing more masculine, and still had the demonic, green eyes, while having no mouth. The only other noticeable thing was that he still appeared to be dark blue, but he didn't have the crystal-like appendages anymore.

He laughed out again, back to his dark, dense voice. "I think this form will suit you better… Not so bad, now, is it?"

Saria shook her head, backing away yet again. "Nothing about you appeases me. I'd rather go to hell than to face this eternal prison with you!"

The demon cocked his head, staring her down, walking in a zombie-like fashion. "That… can be arranged…" he whispered.

He threw his hand forward, crystal spikes emitting from it. Saria ducked to the side, though, and stopped.

"Impressive…" he spoke again, before Saria had a chance to say anything.

Saria gasped for breath, but held herself high, not wishing to lose her dignity. "Just who are you?" she finally asked, still breathing hard.

The demon laughed behind his faceless form, staring the girl down. "Ah… ah… Who am I? Yes, a good question… Why, you do not know?"

Saria didn't answer. She just gritted her teeth, waiting.

He continued to laugh, hands held out to his sides, staring straight up. "Ahahahaha… Ye, who seek my power, steal my eternal prison; know not about the great demon, the undying evil, spawn of the devil, Mephistopheles?"

In his rant, Saria began running, again, but no matter where she went, she heard his voice as clear as if she were standing right next to him, and even louder still. He continued his speech, the darkness piercing into her soul. She wanted to cry again; to fall into despair, but she remembered Link's words, and she felt the warmth in her heart push back the icy cold darkness. She did cry, and tears did emit from her eyes, but tears of joy, not of sadness.

Mephistopheles, on the other hand, returned to his make-shift room, if you could truly call it that. He picked up a small orb, laughing, staring into it. Trees rushed passed a horse, with two riders; the one in front, the green-clad warrior, Hero of Time, Link. In back, Navi, the fairy, points the way through the woods. Hanging from the side of the horse, there was a pouch, strapped tightly, and in that pouch, a purple aura was visible emanating from it, barely visible through the tight straps binding it sealed.

"Ride on, little boy, but you won't get far… You and your little friend, that fairy, are all but clay in my hands, molded to my own desires… So long as you hold on to your friend, so long as you have my scepter in your hands, you are mere puppets for me to use…"

The sage of the forest, trapped in the eternal prison known as the Scepter of Darkness, continued running, never stopping, not even to breath. She didn't know where she would go, what she would do, but she had to get away. She didn't even know where she was, but it mattered not. Running, running, running… Empty, dull, silent… Nothingness…

Then, she heard it again, that same voice, calling out across the world. "Run, run, run, but you won't far… None can face the power of the great Mephistopheles, the demon, reaper, and shaper of souls…Your puny little minds cannot hope to stop my power… none can face me, the Demon Within the Scepter of Darkness, the great and powerful Mephiles the Dark…"


End file.
